Confronting the Past
by AlphaCentari1027
Summary: Megamind contemplates his life so far after the events of the movie. After an unexpected event he thinks to ask questions about his imprisonment that only the warden can answer.
1. Confronting The Past

Takes place after the events of the movie. Megamind contemplates his life and wants answers to questions that only the warden can provide after an unexpected event. Enjoy.

*Why can't I just…sleep? Ugh…that does it I am getting up.* Megamind made a move to get up, but found himself stuck. *Right.* Roxanne had both her arms wrapped around him, one draped around his shoulder and the other lazily draped across his chest her hand pressed to his heart. Slowly and carefully he untangled himself from her grasp. He reached a hand toward one of her hands and gently set it down at her side and the other offered no resistance as he slid out to the side.

"What time is it anyway?" The red digital clock on the nightstand by his side of the bed read 12:01—one minute after mid-night. "This is going to be a long night," Megamind said in a tone just above a whisper.

"Uhm, hhhmmm…." Roxanne groaned in her sleep.

"Still asleep." Megamind sighed in relief. The room was virtually pitch black, but Megamind figured he knew the layout of the room well enough he could get out without turning on a light. *There's that, there's that. Ok I don't feel anything-nothing but air…* "OOOWWW!" Megamind kicked his big toe into a large oak dresser and started frantically jumping up and down both hands clutching at his left big toe. "Uhhhhhh…jumping around in the dark on one foot can be hazardous to your health." Megamind was laid out flat on his back staring up at the ceiling.

"This is Roxanne Ritchi reporting from…" Lifting up his head from the floor just enough Megamind could see Roxann was still fast asleep. It was only then Megamind remembered a piece of carpet ran the length of the room from the door to his side of the bed and he managed to crawl the rest of the way to the door without further incident.

"It's so…quiet, sooo…peaceful. It is actually…nice." Megamind said looking out over the balcony of Roxanne's apartment, his hands sitting on top of the railing and his upper body slightly leaning forward. With buildings the same size or bigger surrounding the apartment building there wasn't all that much to look at, but on this night it was a full moon. Normally Megamind would have scoffed at his surroundings being quiet and peaceful and done something to stir the pot, but now he found himself wanting nothing more than some alone time. Particularly the past two weeks.

/

Before Roxan he had never had a girlfriend. It was nice having someone he could open up to. Minion was his friend and confidant, but because they were so close he dare not speak some of the more troubling and disturbing thoughts coursing through his head. Although Minion and Megamind had made up he had not forgotten about Minion becoming upset when he said, "maybe I don't want to be the bad guy anymore."

But something about Roxan made him want to talk about even those deepest, darkest feelings and thoughts. Yet, he also knew such things could have unforeseen consequences. Those soap operas that he loved to hate did offer a good lesson. Eventually the truth comes out no matter how many lies you tell to cover for the other lies it almost always comes out. He wanted to do things right. He wanted to be honest, but how much could he expect Roxanne to be understanding and accepting of? He was still getting used to the idea of someone asking him if he was ok when he seemed down, stressed, overwhelmed or tired. Sure Minion did that too, but he could get away with ignoring Minion, if he refused to answer Roxan when she asked these types of questions…she could eventually decide he was too much trouble and leave…him. He also considered the thought that some things just should not see the light of day. What if he voiced his thoughts and they were too unnerving to bear. What would she think of him?

Since being embraced as the new protector of Metro City Megamind's life consisted of a nearly endless parade of: press conferences, interviews, pep talks, fund raising events all the while jumping into action at the spur of the moment to catch petty criminals since there are no super villains to challenge him.

People were practically popping up out of the cement pavement and parachuting out of airplanes within several feet of him to get close to him and offer their services-ranging anything from physical fitness advice, personal finance, developing ESP, image consulting, spiritual advice and businesses trying to patent some of his inventions.

Megamind had even been extended an invitation to meet President Obama. At the thought of it he couldn't help but smirk, thinking about the poster with his face with the phrase, "No You Can't." He gladly accepted the invitation, but stated he needed some time to adjust and settle into his new life and would gladly meet with the president at a time of mutual convenience.

Then there were the leeches. Those people who wanted to get close to him so they could be seen and heard and possibly convince him to endorse some product or their movement to save the whales, better schools for kids now, feed the homeless.

While initially he found all the attention quite flattering it was now becoming too much to deal with. It seemed one day they were curious to know his life story and the most trivial details of his daily routine and the next day the gossip columnists and the conspiracy theorists took their turn: "A Side of Megamind Few Have Ever Seen," read on article claiming to have nude photos of him. "Megamind and Roxan: the inside scoop on their relationship." "Megamind the First Phase of a New Alien World Order." "The Megamind Files: U.S. Experimentation with Alien DNA Revealed."

A lot of these so called stories he could take in stride and laugh off. He had had plenty of practice taking the sometimes cruel remarks and antics of the prison security guards. Then things took a turn, he could not have been more furious about the journalists and news channels suggesting...

It strained his fatigued mind too much to articulate the depth of his anger, but he could not stop replaying in his mind the paraphrased comments aired on several of the cable news channels. "Megamind is proof that the average white person is being pushed to the bottom of the social hierarchy. Something needs to be done to keep whites from being replaced by minority groups, illegal aliens and space aliens."

"I am not fooled by Megamind for one second. Sure he is a hero now, but when things don't go his way or things get tough I am not going to rely on him to save the day."

"Megamind has been convicted and sentenced to multiple life sentences and now because he defeats one bad apple we should just let him be free?"

"On the basis that Megamind was not born here he is not a U.S. citizen and should be sent away or put away some place."

"Megamind GO HOME we don't need you and we don't want you."

*I never asked for any of this…this is not my fault...* Megamind thought clenching his jaw and contemplated all the nasty, wicked and painful ways he would make them suffer. It was something he was trying to fight given how things were different and in the end these thoughts were not all that helpful, but so far it was proving a difficult habit to break.

His thoughts returned to the re-commissioning of the Metro Man museum into the Megamind museum. Later that day when the crowd had dispersed there was a fancy dress party and a private tour of the museum consisting mostly of prominent city officials and anyone who had some standing in the business world. He half heartedly hoped that the warden of the prison that had been his home for so many years would show up…and say something, anything.

*Megamind I'm sorry. You really came through for Metro City. Best of luck.*

*Megamind it was wrong for you to have lived in a prison for so many years and at such a young age. I should have done more to try to help you.*

*I always knew you had potential.*

For all the times he had tried to physically injure, harm and otherwise humiliate and otherwise murder-even Metro Man seemed to forgive him and offer his vote of confidence in his abilities.

/

Over the past 3 months Megamind had, had many long conversation with Roxan to better understand aspects of American culture he did not fully understand. Almost literally Megamind had lived in a bubble for the vast majority of his life if he was not isolated from living in prison he lived in self imposed isolation because of being wanted by the authorities. At some point around the time he started school it was decided he should have his own cell. A little later they finished a new cell made with him in mind. It was a circular room with no windows, a TV, a stationary swivel chair and a paint job only a parent of a new born could appreciate. The cell was completely cut off from the rest of the prison inmates.

In the proceeding years with his many successful escapes it was decided he could no longer go out to the "yard" to exercise and was forbidden from having any direct contact with any of the other inmates. The only time he was let out of his cell if not for a televised hearing was to eat and during his earlier years of imprisonment to work.

*The very first time I escaped the guards were watching some Super Foot Ball…type…thing and I went through the fence by slicing a nice big hole in it with an improvised chain saw. No, that came a little later one of the guards left me unattended outside my cell and I managed to sneak right out the front gate.*

True he did eventually have a TV with cable, which served as his window on the world. However, it in no way was a substitute for experiencing the world. Roxanne found Megamind's curiosity endearing and was happy to discuss his questions at length.

He had wanted to talk to her about one topic in particular, but could not bring himself to ask. It was during one of his recent public appearances that someone from the crowd jumped out in front of him and pressed a pamphlet into his hands. The person was quickly grabbed and taken away. For his part Megamind pocketed the pamphlet and went about his business as if nothing unusual had happened. He had not looked at the pamphlet all day and it was only after going through his pockets and getting undressed he pulled it out and looked at it.

The pamphlet was a khaki color with an image of people wearing orange prison uniforms sitting unhappily in a large cell. Underneath the picture was a title in large, bold black letters. **FOREVER PUNISHED: Why Our Criminal Justice System is Broken. **In brief and concise terms the pamphlet detailed existing inequalities within the criminal justice system across: sex, race and class. How corporations are turning a profit at the expense of tax payers and the rights of prisoners and how programs designed to rehabilitate, educate and integrate criminals back into society are disappearing or non-existent.

Megamind had been thinking about a lot of things since he was now free to live his life. But thinking about his time spent in prison was something he desperately wanted to distance himself from.

Questions began to surface that he had never thought to ask before…which was further facilitated by his lengthy conversations with Roxan.

*Roxan cannot give me an answer. What point would it serve asking her for something she has no way of knowing? But the warden…he would have an answer.* He wanted some answers, but how to go about it? He couldn't just go up to the warden's house ring the door bell and have the warden graciously invite him in to answer a few questions—could he? *If I am going to do this I don't want anyone else to know. This is between me and him.* His thoughts were racing. It seemed like the more he tried to suppress these thoughts the stronger they grew. *Ok, I can think this through: recon, plan then execute.* Magemind turned around both Roxanne and Minion were asleep. The night was still young he could do the deed and be back before either of them woke up and they wouldn't have to know. *I am going tonight! I'm coming for you warden-ready or not.*

That's all for now. The 2nd installment is basically done, but I don't want to post it until I have a feel for how the 3rd and final installment is going to pan out so there are not any problems with continuity.


	2. Meeting of the Minds

Megamind Fan Fiction: Chapter II

Meeting of the Minds

Ding, dong, ding, dong, ding, dong, the door bell rang. With each consecutive ring the button was pressed slightly faster and harder than the time before. "Now who in the hell would be ringing the door bell at 3:15 IN THE MORNING!" The warden said tilting his alarm clock toward his head. The warden pulled a blue bathrobe over his night clothes and groggily made his way to get the door. "Probably a bunch of punk kids playing ding, dong ditch." The warden angrily muttered to himself. "This had better be important." *But what could be so important that it couldn't wait till morning?*

The warden approached the front door and peered out the little viewing hole. *Steve?* "Steve, is that you? In an instant he unlocked and unbolted the main door and undid the latch for the screen door and hastily grabbed him by the shoulder ushering him inside leading him into the dining room. For a second the warden froze in place his head turned over his shoulder looking back. *What was that?* He could have sworn he had just heard something approximating the call of a crow. Seeing nothing and hearing nothing more the warden turned his attention to the matter at hand. "What's going on? This couldn't wait till morning? You know you could have called me! Well, speak man!" Both men remained standing about an arms length apart. Steve was roughly the same height and build as the warden, but with neatly cut brown hair and clean shaven.

Steve made a motion to clear his throat. "My apologies, but I thought it better to discuss this in person than over the phone or through e-mail." The warden nodded and briefly assessed Steve's appearance, something seemed off to him. *Why is he wearing his security uniform?* He had a very bad feeling about where this conversation was going to go. *Megamind this, Megamind that, it may only be a matter of time before there is a firestorm of criticism over how we handled him and heads begin to roll, but I'll be damned if I'm going to willingly air all the dirty laundry for everyone to see.* "Sir we got a situation on our hands at the prison. The problem sir is, the staff at the prison have been…talking." The warden raised an eyebrow at the remark.

"What about?" The warden said, now nervously stroking his white moustache.

"Some of the guards think you should have done more to try to help Megamind. After all you were the one in charge of the facility when he crash landed." The warden sat down in a dining room chair not far from where he was standing and slumped forward his elbows on his knees with his hands supporting his head. *This is not happening.* He ran his fingers up and down his face, eventually settling on massaging his temples. Then in an agitated manner he practically vaulted to a standing position, made his way to the kitchen and pulled out a bottle of whiskey and two shot classes. He poured a shot for himself and then filled the other and extended it to Steve. The warden lifted his shot glass to his lips, tilted his head back and swallowed.

"Ahhhhh. Well, what you waiting for an invitation, drink already." Steve merely took a seat across from the warden and absently toyed with the glass tracing his fingers around the lip. Steve seemed distracted eyeing the décor with curiosity. Sitting on the table was a centerpiece consisting of a large square white candle, a figure of an angel in prayer and what appeared to be a miniature cactus all three items were on a plate that was thinly covered with polished black rocks. It seemed rather out of place when considering there was a thick layer of dust coating the candle and figurine. Within sight of the dining room there was a staircase leading to a second floor. On the outside of the staircase, running below the wood railing were a series of framed pictures. The living room furniture was organized around a square coffee table and a fire place above which there was a wall mounted flat screen TV. The furniture, the carpets and the light fixtures had all been selected deliberately to complement each other in order to convey a common theme. Down to the smallest household item it looked like everything had its proper place.

The warden made a face, but thought better than to brow beat his employee, a loyal one at that. One who had worked at the prison long enough and proven himself competent enough to be his 2nd in command. "Politely break it to them that if they value their jobs they will keep quiet. The last thing we need is a three ring circus of journalists, news reporters and a public inquiry." The warden shrugged, "But, then who knows this may just blow over. I don't think I've ever told you, but there's been several times in the past where someone attempted to instigate an internal investigation concerning Megamind's existence and imprisonment. Though this was prior to the time when Megamind's existence was undeniable."

"Really…" Steve said, his eyes opening wide in shock.

"Ya, really, but it all blew over. Make a few phone calls, deny access, degrade the credibility of the person making the inquiry, coerce people to keep their traps shut and hide the only solid evidence that could be used against us, the blue boy himself. Of course when Megamind became a public figure by wrecking havoc on Metro City things became a bit more challenging. However once again the dust settled in our favor. It was decided it would be in bad taste to make Megamind out to be the victim by revealing what we knew, when we knew and what we were doing. I still think we did right…"

"What if this doesn't blow over…?" The warden just sat impassively and poured another shot and chugged it down.

"I don't care, what you have to do, but no one and I mean no one is talking to the press. If anyone comes around we don't say nothin'. Anything they say we don't comment, or we deny whatever it is they're saying…let that be the end of it."

"Sir there is another problem."

"Ohhhh…now is there..." The warden poured another shot and drank it down straightening his back against the chair resting one arm on an arm rest while the other maintained a loose grip on the shot glass sitting on the dining room table. "Double the trouble." The warden said whimsically taking another shot and reaching over for Steve's shot glass and swigging the contents down.

"I sympathize with them," he said in a whisper. "Surely there must have been something you could have-"

"NOW SEE HERE!" The warden caught himself, trying to calm himself down and bring his voice down to a normal tone. "I will hear nothing more on the matter. Not NOW…not EVER," to drive his point home the warden slammed a clenched fist into the table at the words 'now' and 'ever'. "HAVE I MADE MYSELF CLEAR!" Steve remained calm and unwavering maintaining steady eye contact with the warden.

"Oh, I see. I'm afraid I can't let that pass." Steve said slowly with a sly undertone to his voice. "You see…I'm not _really_ Steve."

"What? What the hell you talking about? What—what are you trying to pull?" The warden said shakily.

"What I intend to pull out of you is the truth." Right before him the person he thought was Steve reached a hand toward his left wrist, twisted a metal ring going around the watch and transfigured himself into Megamind fully clad in his traditional black and blue costume, cape, gun and gun holster to boot. Megamind pressed his fingers and thumbs together forming a pyramid as he stared into the warden's eyes.

"YOU'RE A DEAD MAN! YOU'RE A DEAD MAN!" The warden shouted standing bolt upright, his face contorted in a snarl and pointing an index finger between Megamind's eyes as if it were gun.

"Now, now don't say things you don't mean. You invited me in as a guest. I do thank you for that extraordinary story. I came merely to talk…..naturally you would never accept knowing it was me so a certain amount of deception was necessary." There was a moment of silence. Cool and calculating Megamind rose to his feet walked around and behind the warden and gently pushed him back into his chair. The warden offered no resistance and settled back into his chair. "Tell me warden do you miss the 'old days.'?" Megamind said walking back toward the chair and sitting down.

"What do you want from me!" *He's come to kill me. I knew one way or the other he would be the death of me.*

"I was hoping you might be so kind as to answer a few questions for me. Why ask someone who cannot provide the answers I seek when I can go to the source. Who better to ask than the warden as to why I lived without the comfort of a bed? Why for the brief time I attended school I was not provided with normal school clothes? Why it is that I grew up in a prison when I committed NO CRIME! I was an INFANT, an INFANT, but fate intervened and guided me to YOUR prison…" Megamind sneered, flaring his nostrils, his tone accusatory. "My only 'crimes,' " using air quotes at the word crimes, "at that age were having the misfortune of landing on Earth, landing in a prison and not looking like the rest of you." The warden could do nothing, but look stunned as though he had been struck on the head with a hammer. Instead of pouring himself another shot he reached straight for the whiskey bottle and took a long sip, rendering the bottle half empty. "Why don't I make this easy on you by starting from the beginning…yes that is where we ought to start. Don't you think…?" The warden said nothing. His face was flushed a bright pink with beads of sweat beginning to form around his forehead. He was petrified as though he was staring down a tiger ready to pounce with no means of defense. "I just knew you would agree with me. Let's start with something simple. How long was it until I was discovered among the other inmates? A few days…weeks…months?"

"A few weeks." The warden said, stopping to cough and clear his throat. "Guards reported unusual activity, but couldn't pin point the source…so we conducted a sweep of all the cells. We had checked all but one of the cells we found the usual contraband, but nothing unusual. I checked the last cell and just before stepping in there was a commotion over finding the pod you came in. While the guards did a second sweep of the cells and patted down all of the inmates I took the last cell and there you were with a round orb that contained a fish."

"Then what, warden? Whatever did you do next?"

"I made some calls to the local hospital and I swore them to secrecy that they were not to say one word about this to another soul unless authorized directly by me. They contacted some of the nations leading doctors to corroborate what they observed. Other than being a little malnourished you were otherwise healthy. The doctors…they didn't know what to think. Without running a bunch of invasive and dangerous tests the doctors thought you were human, but could not explain how your skin was blue. For your own protection I kept you here where I could keep watch at all times."

Megamind got up from his chair and circled the warden as he spoke. "For my own protection…" Magamind repeated back to the ward. "For…my own… PROTECTION. Megamind repeated this time much more dramatic than before. Is that your final answer?"

"I'm telling the truth, god dammit!"

"No, you see Mr. warden I know how you like to run your prison. Under all your bravado about law, order and keeping the peace…you have to have _absolute control_." Magemind said balling his left hand into a fist for emphasis. "You didn't need a reason to make life any more cruel and unbearable, you did it because you could and no one could challenge you and you enjoyed every minute of it. It was fun…for you."

"Cry me a river why don't ya. Maybe not initially, but yes once you started wrecking havoc on the city. I wanted to see to it you never saw the light of day again. That every day you had nothing, but to think about what you had done." The warden said looking up at a standing Megamind.

"Why was no effort made to get me adopted—have some chance at a normal life!" Megamind said in an exasperated tone of voice as he continued to pace and circle round the warden. "It does happen: troubled child gets adopted by a loving family and it ends happily ever after—that could have been my story!"

"Look at yourself. Take a long, hard look. You're nothing-certainly not human. Who would want to adopt a blue child, oh and by the way he's an alien. We don't know where he's from, but we know he's an alien, a space alien. By default your care should have been provided to you by the state. No parents…no relatives, literally an alien from another world. Given the circumstances adoption, foster care—out of the question. I did you a favor by keeping you here. If not for me, who knows maybe you would have ended up being cut open on an operating table as a cadaver, experimented on, but who knows maybe you might have met some of your freaky relatives in Area 51." At the last part the warden chuckled. Megamind wasn't laughing. Both his hands were balled into fists, arms crossed protectively over his chest his eyes staring at the warden with the intensity of a laser beam set to cut through steel. The warden continued to laugh and even gave the dining room table a few slaps. "Huh—huhuh—huuuuuuh." The warden raised a hand to his face to wipe a tear away from his eye. Megamind took a few steps toward the pictures to have a closer look.

"Tell me something. Who are the other people in these pictures?" Megamind said indicating the pictures by the stairs.

"It's none of your business!" Megamind ignored him. The warden turned in his seat to follow Megamind's movement.

Megamind was fixated on one picture in particular, a family portrait. In the picture there was a younger looking version of the warden, a smiling woman with blond hair and very attractive. The warden was wearing a formal suite and the woman sported a denim jacket with a white tank top and wore a white cowboy hat. Below them were three smiling children. "I see you, a woman standing beside you and I count one…two…three little one's two boys and one girl. And don't the boys look so cutesy-wutsey they look just like daddy. And the little girl looking so pretty in her matching green bow and dress." Megamind said in an exaggerated tone of voice a parent might use when swooning over baby pictures. "But what is THIS…" Magamind said indicating another picture. "The woman is with the kids…and _another_..." The warden looked as pale as a ghost. His stare was vacant his eyelids and his head drooping down. Megamind had a smirk on his face, feeding off of the warden's visible discomfort. "You're all alone."

*She left me. On my watch Megamind continuously escaped making a fool out of me. "Richard, let it go. Can't you think of anything else other than your job! Ryan got a perfect score on his math test. Jake's the star player on his baseball team. And you have no relationship with your daughter. Our kids are screaming for your affection, but you can't so much as acknowledge them and ask them about their day. Say something…sometimes I don't know why I stay. Ya know maybe there is a reason Megamind keeps slipping through your fingers because he doesn't belong there. I saw the way you looked when you came home and first told me about him…why is he in a prison…his whole life? Have you no compassion? Did I marry a heartless son of a bitch!" At that last remark she grabbed a heavy book and chucked it at my head. Then she went upstairs to our bedroom her face in her hands and cried. She sided with Megamind over me…her husband. There was an argument soon after. I don't even remember what was said except it was about Megamind. I was angry and I—I—slapped…her...the one thing I do remember her saying: "Thank you for making this decision so much easier." She packed a few things took the kids over my objections. Soon afterwards she moved in with someone else, what's his name? Some guy who owned some land and our daughter had been taking equestrian lessons from.*

Megamind turned back to the picture and traced a heart in the thin layer of dust coating the glass. "Why was my education cut so short?" Megamind said, coming around again to go on the attack turning to face the warden.

"You know what happened! I tell you what I pulled a number of strings to put you into that school. That teacher of yours she was a peach, real sweet lady." Megamind rolled his eyes.

"Please, don't insult me. She knew full well I was being picked on. She didn't lift a finger. If anything she encouraged it. When I made a mistake or did something that made a mess of things Mr. Perfect would always have the right answer or save the day and get a gold star. I spent more time with my head to the corner than I did at my desk. When it came time to play outside it was me against everyone else. Not once were my talents acknowledged and given praise."

"What your talent for breaking things? I believe you busted up a few windows."

"I invented a helmet to repel objects that became trapped in the particle field. Rather than hitting me the balls flew everywhere—I didn't intend for it to happen."

"I honestly wanted to give you a chance. But after the explosion at the school house-"

"Oh, come on! Sure it created a mess, but no one got hurt."

"By that time you wracked up a consistent record of bad behavior and your graded assignments were low scoring."

"IT—WAS—BOR—DEN—ING. When I put the effort into it I mastered the material much faster than any of the other students and performed perfectly on the tests. Even at that age my intellect and interests went beyond anything the teachers could teach and the other students could attempt to understand. My pet projects were far more interesting than anything they could teach me." Megamind paused. "So that's it, then. One chance and if things don't work out you just give up, lock me up and throw away the key because-that's right it is for my protection! Did it ever cross any of your simpleton's minds that maybe I needed to feel normal? Maybe I needed a friend besides my fishy companion!" The warden scoffed.

"You made your choice."

"Yes…that I did. I made many choices, but there were also many that were made for me…" Silence, neither knew what to say. The warden hardly dare move from his seat not fully trusting Megamind's intentions. The warden's hands had settled on the armrests of the chair with his nails digging into the wood. For all he knew Megamind had every intention of killing him at the end of their conversation.

Through the night the warden and Megamind continued to talk, touching on many topics: how Megamind's attitude changed when he was kicked out of school, his first escape from prison and the beginning of his lengthy criminal career and dredging up old grievances over how Megamind was treated by some of the guards, not to mention the warden himself. Megamind asked the questions, the warden responded and from there they took jabs at each other defending their interpretation of events. Every now and then the warden took sips from the bottle of whiskey. Both were visibly tired from lack of sleep and drained of energy by the contentious subject matter, but neither was willing to give an inch of ground.

*Just what is he getting at? What is he trying to prove? I didn't exactly ask for him to land in my lap so it was a situation neither of us asked for.*

"Ok answer me this—when a child in the custody of the state reaches a particular age are they not released from state custody and free to live their life as they see fit?" The warden didn't respond immediately. He knew what he was getting at and he didn't like it. "Your answer, if you please." The warden drummed his fingers and avoided meeting Megamind's steady accusatory gaze.

"Technically….yes."

"Technically…" Megamind repeated. The warden did not clarify his statement. "Eighteen years of age. But you were a hardened criminal long before then and I doubt a few months in the spot light has changed that. No respect for rules, no respect for authority. Even as a child you were no good. A BLUE…ROTTEN…APPLE. People don't change, not in any way that matters and I imagine the saying holds true for aliens too."

At this point Megamind was sitting legs crossed. His body slouched to one side an elbow on top of an armrest. When the warden finished speaking he looked away in disgust fixating his gaze on one of the shot glasses. Absently he reached for it and took it in one hand and twirled it. Except for a few drops it was utterly empty—like the vast reaches of space between celestial objects literally an empty vessel, waiting to be filled. Suddenly, unexpectedly Megamind got up from his chair and made a move toward the front door taking slow steps, deliberate steps.

"Whoa—wait—stop. Don't you turn your back on me!" The warden shrieked pouncing to his feet and taking a threatening step toward Megamind. "Turn around—turn around now! You think you're just going to violate the sanctity of my house and get away!"

"Go back to sleep warden," Megamind said waving his hand in a dismissive gesture. "I'm done with you. I have what I came for." Megamind said in a low tone of voice. He then continued to move toward the door. The warden wasn't taking no for an answer. He rushed Megamind wrapping an arm around his neck and used the other to force one of his hands behind his back, lifting his feet off the ground.

"Huh-huh" Megamind gasped. His free hand let go of the shot glass letting it fall to the floor and stretched for his gun holster.

"Ha-huh. So pathetic…I don't care that you are the new HE-RO of Metro City—I'm sending your E.T. ass some place where no one will ever find you. I guess I'm what you call an old school boy: do the crime, do the time. Your get out of jail free card has just been revoked. Do not pass go do not collect $200." With each passing second Megamind came closer to passing out his ability to concentrate fading. His free arm was on the wrong side to reach his gun.

"You want t' know the n-ice thing about…being a super villain?"

"What's that?" The warden said right into Megamind's ear.

"I don't…play…by the rules…of the game." With all the strength he could summon Megamind forced his legs high into the air, arched his back and his head and reversed direction using the momentum to stomp down on the warden's bare left foot. The warden grimaced loosened his grip, but was still holding on. With his free hand Megamind thrust his elbow into the warden's rib cage and then in the face. With his feet once again planted firmly on the ground Megamind delivered a mighty kick to the warden's groin.

"Ow—ooooooooowwwwwwwwwww." The warden moaned falling backwards onto his side with both hands clutching at his groin, his right leg slightly twitching with tears of pain streaming from both eyes.

"I always…wanted to do that." Megamind said, trying to catch his breathe. "Don't feel so bad warden we'll always have our fond memories of our shared time together. Oh, but there is just ONE…MORE thing..." Megamind extended an arm out in front of him and from the shadows one of his brain bots appeared posing happily on Megamind's outstretched arm like a trained hawk. "I captured all of our little encounter on camera, but I won't release it online and to all the prominent news agencies unless you give me a reason. My suggestion, confess."

"Bastard!" With nothing more to say Megamind made his way to the front door, tripped the locking mechanism on the screen door and forced it shut, got into his invisible car and disappeared into the pre-dawn morning.


	3. Megamind Is Missing

Author's note: this is a sequel to "Meeting of the Minds," which in turn is a sequel to "Confronting the Past." Forgot to comment on the last chapter I posted. Yeah, wow those two really went at each other. Poor warden, well not really he got what was coming to him. So what happens now after MM's meeting with the warden? Read, review and find out.

It was Saturday morning. Being the news channels star field reporter Roxanne was kept on her toes working the big stories Monday through Friday, but usually had the weekend off unless something came up. Half conscious, not wanting to wake up her hands felt around under the sheets and found nothing but cold. She sluggishly opened her eyes and looked around. Her boyfriend was no where in sight. *Did he move to the chair?* Roxanne wondered raising herself to a sitting position and stretching her arms toward the ceiling. It was still an adjustment for Megamind to sleep in a bed sometimes he would move to a chair halfway through the night. For this purpose Roxanne went to the trouble of buying a chair with a foot rest and an adjustable back. A blanket was draped across the seat and arm rests, but Roxanne thought it looked the same as the last time she looked at it the day before.

Passed out on the couch in the living room was Minion. Roxanne had to admit there was something amusing about watching Minion sleep. Maybe it was just the odd juxtaposition of a mechanical body with tufts of hair that taken all together resembled a gorilla with a fishbowl for a head with a fish swimming inside it; but then Minion did have a kind of goofy look on his face with one eye open, one eye closed, mouth hanging wide open every now and again snapping partially shut.

"Bernard," Roxanne called. For Roxanne it seemed a bit odd calling her boyfriend by his formal public persona: Megamind. He needed a real name. Megamind didn't remember ever being given a formal name. Before giving himself the name Megamind he had always been called by some depersonalizing or derogatory term: you, kid, freak boy, blue boy, egg head and several others Megamind—that much Roxanne knew. Megamind was not completely satisfied with being called Bernard, but had yet to find a suitable human name he could grow to like. Minion for whatever the reason still tended to call Megamind, sir. To Roxanne the name Bernard made some sense. Of course Megamind was only impersonating Bernard, but in Roxanne's mind she associated their early courting with that name. From Roxanne's point of view it brought to mind all the good qualities that her boyfriend embodied: charm, intelligence, wit, spontaneity, if a bit eccentric and awkward. The name Megamind still conjured the image of her boyfriend as a self-serving ego maniac. Although her boyfriend found it a bit annoying she had also gotten in the habit of calling him by the pet name: Blue. She knew full well he had been taunted as: blue berry head, but his skin color was such an inseparable part of what made him unique; a soft tone of blue reminiscent of the sky on a sunny day, or the clear shallow water of some tropical paradise. Except for the early beginnings of wrinkles around his brow ridge his skin was flawless.

She called again. He wasn't in the kitchen or dining room. "Bernard." He wasn't in the bathroom either. "I guess it's a good thing I convinced him to get a cell phone." She grabbed her phone from her purse, dialed the number and started pacing the living room floor. Sure enough she got an answer, but it wasn't what she was hoping for. Just after dialing the number she heard something in the background coming from her bedroom. "You're kidding me." Wherever he was, he had left his cell phone on the nightstand. "Something's wrong." Roxanne flung her cell phone on the bed and marched straight for the living room. She bent her head over to look at Minion and waved a hand across his field of vision. "Minion, wake up!" No response. There was a reason why people were not supposed to tap on the glass of an aquarium, but this was an emergency. She tapped the glass three times and on the third he came around in a panic and his head and upper body shot up hitting Roxanne in the head.

"I'm awake, sir! Oh it's you Roxanne. Oh, huh-huh, sorry. You ok?"

"Yeah, I'll be…ok. Just give me a minute." Roxanne said, turning away from Minion trying to rub away the pain from her forehead. "Minion you wouldn't know where Bernard went, would you?"

"He's not here?" Minion asked, Roxanne turning back around to look at him.

"No." Roxanne sighed. *Where could he be?* Roxanne played back the events of the past week. As far as she could tell he seemed content. At times he seemed a bit stressed and overwhelmed, but she attributed it to his hectic schedule and still adjusting to his new life. *What if that's not it, what if it's something else?* Come to think of it she remembered a few times when for the shortest of moments he seemed moody and broody, but then perked right up again when he realized he was being watched.

"Minion, has Bernard seemed to be acting strange the past week?"

"No, no more than he usually does."

"This doesn't _feel _right." Roxanne said a note of anxiety creeping into her voice.

"Maybe he just needed to get away for a bit. You know get some air. I'm sure he's fine."

"Try your communicator. If he has that watch with him we should be able to reach him." Minion tapped a button on his chest and spoke into it, "Code: Bernard come in…ahem. Code: where are you?"

"Bernard, are you there?" No response. "Huh, I'm checking to see if he took the car." Roxanne said grabbing a trench coat from the closet to throw over her lime green pajama shorts and top, a thin white trim trailing along the seams and edges, before speed walking to the door. Minion contented himself with settling himself upright on the couch and turning on the TV. The front door flung open. "The car is gone!" Roxanne started to pace. She ran her fingers through her hair before settling one arm crossed over her chest with a hand at her chin in contemplation. *Wait.* "Does the car have a GPS Minion?"

"Definitely, heh—came in real handy for all the times-"

"Great, than we ought to be able to track the signal. I'll boot up my computer. Do you know what the serial number is?" While Roxanne set up her computer Minion opened a hollow compartment in his robotic suite.

"No, not it, definitely not it. No, no, no, uh—ick. I need to clean this thing out."

"Did you find it?"

"Yeah, here it is." Minion said waving the GPS user's manual in one hand.

"Bring it over here…entering the number…and…tracking, NOW. Rriigghhtt about there." Roxanne said pointing a finger at the location indicated on the map. "Stay here, I'll pick up a news van from the station. Tell them it's an emergency. Let's just hope he didn't decide to go off on a long walk away from the car." Minion shrugged.

"If you say so." Roxanne gave Minion a look. *Something is bothering him. I can only work on one problem at a time—I'll have a talk with him later for now let's find Bernard.*

/

The drive was quiet—too quiet. Roxanne couldn't have been more tense and Minion any more indifferent to the situation. Roxanne looked straight ahead at the road, while Minion gazed out the passenger side window taking in the scenery infrequently checking the cell phone to see if the car had moved. The signal indicated the car was parked in a neighboring suburb just outside Metro City. It looked like a fairly well kept place with a mix of low level apartments, duplexes and single family residences. In a lot of ways the suburb was similar to Metro City, but everything was done on a smaller scale reflecting the smaller population. "We should be getting close, but the GPS can't give us an exact location so we may need to look around if the car is invisible. It's too bad we don't have a paint blower." Roxanne said. Minion for his part just continued to stare out the window offering no comment. The street was lined with single family homes on both sides of the street the typical idealized suburb of fresh cut grass, beautiful trees shedding their leaves as a sign of the changing season. "The car ought to be somewhere along this street. Minion do you see anything?"

"No," Minion said lazily. Roxanne pulled over to the side of the street. "Maybe we should try the watch communicator again."

"Sure." Minion said, obediently tapping a button on his robotic suite. "Sir, we're looking for you, pick up." No response.

"Plan B: I think we'll be more likely to find something if we walk around on foot than cruise up and down the street. You take one side and I'll take the other." *He obviously doesn't want to be found. What is it that he's running from?* The street was a long straight shot and wide enough to allow a car to pass in each direction. Roxanne walked along the curb figuring she would physically collide with an invisible parked car if it was there. *It's like he evaporated into thin air.* The ground was damp and soggy from the leaves falling on the pavement and soaking up some of the rain like a sponge.

As Roxanne continued to walk the string of houses came to an end. Another street cut through perpendicular. With caution she looked both ways and continued on her chosen path. To her right there was a park. It wasn't like any of the parks in Metro City. Aside from being much smaller in scale the park was divided into two parts: on one side it had a few picnic tables, a swing set and a play structure for little kids. The second side was covered with mortar and bricks with a series of holes presumably serving as a fountain during the warmer weather. A thin patch of vegetation between the curb and the sidewalk was dotted with deciduous trees whose leaves had turned various shades of yellow, orange and red. With the exception of seeing a few passing joggers and a woman walking her dog the place was deserted. Distracted she took a moment to take in the colors of the leaves and sighed to herself. Roxanne looked back. Minion had adopted the same strategy as her and was poking along at a slower pace.

Refocusing her attention at the stretch of road ahead of her she noticed something odd. It looked as if a leaf was suspended in mid-air with nothing visibly supporting it to keep it from falling. Her first instinct was to run, but she soon gave that up realizing she didn't have the right shoes on. She settled for a fast paced walking speed. With every step she took the leaf came into greater focus strengthening her hunch. It seemed so surreal seeing the red leaf lying flat at 180 degree angle just sitting there. She hesitated, but only for a moment. Blocking out all doubts she closed her eyes and reached out into the air hoping to make contact with something solid.

"Uhhhh," the sensation of cold metal. She opened her eyes and pressed her hand against it, it was still there. A smile came to her face.

"Minion I found him!" She gently tapped her way around the car and decided to grab some soggy leaves and throw them on the car. Sure enough an outline of a car emerged. She then tapped on a pane of glass three times. "Bernard!" Roxanne felt her way around for a door handle.

"I'm opening the door." She gave the handle a jerk, but nothing happened. The door was locked. Roxanne pumped the handle, but each time the result was the same. In a huff Roxanne turned and leaned against the car. Minion had just finished walking the rest of the distance toward the car.

"It's locked." Roxanne said in a slow, defeated tone crossing her arms over her chest, her body shivering from the cold. Most days Roxanne was made up like a doll for her job with staff hand selecting a new outfit for every day. On days like today when appearances were not very important she took a minimalist approach throwing on jeans and a short sleeve shirt. *I wish I had worn something warmer, but I couldn't just stand by my closet all day deciding what to wear.* Minion frowned. Roxanne shook her head. *We've come this far…we can't give up.* Roxanne then looked up at Minion silently asking if he knew something she didn't that might help their situation. Roxanne continued to stare at Minion with a curious look, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. Minion started to register an expression of discomfort by the way Roxanne's gaze was fixated on him. Roxanne took a step toward Minion reaching a hand toward the back of his shoulder.

Minion took a step back, "What are you doing?"

"Minion, could you squat down for a second?"

"What for?"

"Just do it—I got an idea." Hesitantly Minion lowered himself to a squatting position and Roxanne broke off half of an antenna.

"Hey, that's not very nice," Minion objected. Roxanne was too focused to pay any attention to Minion's complaint and went straight to work. She used the piece of antenna like a coat hanger. She felt for a rubber seam between the glass window and the metal door inserted it in at a low angle feeling around for a switch, lever, anything that would unlock the door. She retracted it out, back in, out, in, out, in several times and made adjustments to the height and angle. Click, the car door was unlocked. She passed the piece of antenna back to Minion and gently manipulated the door handle to the driver side back seat.

Huddled against the passenger side back seat was a half conscious Megamind. His legs partially pulled in toward his chest, body and head angled toward Roxanne. Inside the car the heating unit was humming and he had his cape draped across his body like a blanket. Roxanne climbed into the seat next to him. That expression on his face…his green eyes and face usually so expressive communicated nothing other than hurt and sadness. The patches around his face and ears that were normally a healthy pink were pale. It was a struggle for him to stay conscious. His eye lids would droop down and he would then force them to open only to repeated have to force his eyes open. "Rox-anne…?" Megamind weakly whispered. Roxanne was speechless her throat in a knot. She just stared at him and uncontrollably tears started to come to her eyes seeing him look so lifeless. Minion took a peek inside, but decided now was not the best time to butt in. Megamind pulled himself up and reached a hand to wipe away her tears and then settled his hand on the right side of Roxanne's face. Roxanne placed a hand around his fingers and the other at his wrist and gently squeezed.

"You scared me." Roxanne said, her voice trembling. She closed her eyes and more tears gushed out. Megamind motioned his fingers to wipe away Roxanne's fresh tears. Roxanne opened her eyes and there were no more tears. Roxanne gently nuzzled Megamind's hand before kissing the back of it and holding his hand in her two hands. Megamind inched forward closing the distance between them gently guiding away one of her hands while the other instinctive reached toward his shoulder. Roxanne leaned into his embrace like a limp doll leaning her head to the side her arms thrown around his shoulders Megamind lightly wrapping his arms around her lower back and her shoulder blades.

"I'm ok," Megamind whispered. Those words were enough to make a fresh batch of tears come to Roxanne's eyes and start to trickle down her face. For a few moments they just held each other taking in each other's company with the knowledge things were going to be fine. As the last of her tears fell Roxanne reached a hand to wipe them away slowly pulling herself out of Megamind's embrace and looking into his face. He looked calm and composed, yet his expression betrayed a hint of anxious uncertainty.

"Let's take you home."


	4. Around the Apartment

On the way back to the apartment a stop was made at the news station to return the news van. Roxanne climbed into the back seat of the car to keep Megamind company both were leaning into each other with Roxanne wrapping an arm around Megamind's back his head leaning against Roxanne's shoulder. Megamind appeared better than he did before, but was still finding it difficult to keep his eyes open. Minion was at the wheel. Every now and then Minion's gaze drifted to the rear view mirror and the image of Megamind and Roxanne sitting together. When he looked in the mirror his jaw noticeable clamped down, teeth protruding, eyes furrowed. Tuckered into a ball like a cat in the front passenger side seat was the brain bot Megamind had taken with him to his "conversation" with the warden.

They arrived at the apartment building soon after. Roxanne flanking Megamind from the left putting an arm around his small waist and for his part Megamind reached a hand toward Roxanne's far shoulder for support. Minion flanked Megamind from the right, the brain bot perched on his right shoulder.

No one was going in or out of the lobby besides them and the elevator was thankfully empty when it arrived at the ground floor. Minion opened the door to the apartment while Roxanne led Megamind to the bedroom. Megamind seemed more lucid and relaxed than before with some of his natural pink coloring returning to his cheeks and ears, but his coordination and balance was severely compromised. Roxanne pulled back the sheets and helped him undress. She undid the "M" shaped clasp taking off his shoulder padding and that frilly head and neck thing. Megamind undid the belt to his gun holster and shoved it in one of the night stand drawers while Roxanne lifted up one foot at a time to take off his now infamous pair of leather boots. Roxanne then placed a hand to the back of Megamind's head and helped lower him onto his back. "Roxanne—I-" Megamind opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Roxanne.

"Ssshhh…" Roxanne hushed him, putting a finger in front of her lips. "Explanations and apologies later just rest for now." Megamind just accepted it. He was too exhausted to put up a fight and simply nodded. Before parting Roxanne pressed a kiss to his forehead and walked toward the door. Just before shutting the door all the way she stole a final look at Megamind as he was repositioning himself to sleep on his side, eyes closing his breathing almost instantly becoming deeper as he drifted toward unconsciousness.

Roxanne leaned her back against the bedroom door letting her head fell backward and lightly tapped the door. *That was exhausting.* Taking a moment to breathe Roxanne forced herself to be in the present. Roxanne observed that once again Minion seemed relatively unaffected by the situation sitting on the couch, TV turned on, flipping through the channels with the brain bot sitting in his robot lap. *Come to think of it has Minion done much else than just sit on the couch and watch TV since moving in?* Roxanne walked up to Minion swiping the TV remote from his hand and clicked the TV off. Roxanne then took a position in front of the TV her arms folded across her chest with the remote still in one hand. "I think we need to talk, but I don't want to do this here." Minion looked miffed turning his face away from Roxanne, but she wasn't giving him much choice in the matter. "Why don't we discuss this in the car?" Minion hastily pushed the brain bot off his lap which made a screeching noise and tried to take a nip at his metal fingers as he silently made his way to the door.

Going the distance between the apartment and the car parked outside on the street they were not as fortunate to be completely alone. When the elevator came to their floor an elderly woman with thick glasses hunched over a walker was already in the elevator. "Oh…my…that is one big stuffed animal you got their young lady." Apparently even with glasses her vision was poor enough she did not see Minion as he looked to the rest of the world. There was a young couple coming into the apartment lobby that walked past them who turned their heads to gawk as they continued forward at a decidedly slower pacing.

"What are you staring at!" Minion shouted taking an aggressive stance as though ready to charge, his face slightly bloated, his fins flared out like spikes. The couple was paralyzed they dare not move, not even breathe. Minion stared them down for a moment, Roxanne tugged at one of his massive arms and he decided it wasn't worth it—turned and kept walking.

Minion got inside on the front driver side and Roxanne sat in the front passenger side seat. Both of them closed the doors at the same time creating an echoing thud. There was a moment of silence before Roxanne abruptly turned to Minion. "Minion, help me out here…is there _something _that is bothering you?" Roxanne said with a pleading expression on her face.

"Oh, me, oh, no, no, no, unh, unh…why would anything be bothering me?" Minion said his physical fish body turning away from Roxanne and shaking to indicate a headshake, his tone of voice dripping with sarcasm contradicting the content of his speech. *Ok, that went well…*

"I'm just trying to understand. We both know Bernard tends to stay in bed until 7-8 O' clock in the morning and between the three of us is the last to get up. You didn't seem to CARE that he was gone and neither of us knew where he was." Minion remained unmoved. "You and Megamind have been inseparable just about since you were born. Things…are changing, but he is always going to need your friendship."

"Huh, yeah, when it's convenient for him and can pencil me in. At least he is humanoid in appearance, but I'm just a fish in a jar."

"A brilliant fish." Roxanne said with gusto. "You were his right hand man helping him all these years every step of the way with all his grandiose schemes-"

"Pff…not anymore—there's no room for me. It's all about him—he's the star. I'm just an accessory, a nobody…I'm non-existent…" Minion said dejectedly still facing away from Roxanne.

"WOULD…it be SO HARD for you to at least LOOK AT ME!" Roxanne said in a forceful tone of voice causing Minion's fish body to involuntarily spin around inside his bowl with a shocked expression on his face. "That's simply not true. He will always be your friend and you will always be his friend. Doesn't that matter…? Isn't that more important than some flavor of the month celebrity status…? The world has finally come around to accept him and you shut down because you don't get equal press time. Let me tell you he has no privacy now! I don't have any privacy!"

Roxanne had been doing some thinking. What time Roxanne and Megamind had to share with each other was mostly spent in bed or chilling out in front of the TV from a long day of work. She had to be out of bed early in the morning to attending a meeting to discuss her assignments for the day and ended up getting home anywhere between 6-8 PM. When they could they would try to schedule a lunch date, but at most they only had an hour to themselves.

There were more than just a few isolated incidents where Megamind seemed off. Even if they turned off the TV or were selective about what they watched they still in passing saw some of the ridiculous stories being circulated about Megamind and Roxanne. Whenever Megamind came across one of them he would tense up. He never withheld affection from her, nor rejected her romantic advances, but there were days he would hardly say a word, talk about his day or he would outright change the subject to avoid talking about himself. And more than a few times Roxanne had been on site shooting a story about Megamind's appearance at a prestigious event. It offered another opportunity for them to spend time together, but he always seemed aloof and uncomfortable and would make up an excuse to be by himself. While Megamind usually returned voluntarily some occasions it was only with Roxanne's gentle prodding he came out of hiding. *Was I afraid of asking because of being afraid of what he might say?* Roxanne thought. Although Megamind had been interviewed numerous times by members of the press he had in fact revealed little about his past and his time spent in prison. Though to be fair many of them only cared about interviewing Megamind for his novelty value. Roxanne was curious about his past, but she also did not want to press the matter. They were boyfriend and girlfriend, but it did not automatically entitle her to know all his secrets.

"I've seen the way he looks at some of the public events he goes to and his reaction to the tabloid stories being printed about him that are being blown up all over the TV and the internet. On the outside he says and does what he is suppose to, tries not to let things get to him and is grateful for the chance to make things right. But other times I've seen him look completely miserable and I turned a blind eye and didn't ask what he was thinking or how he felt!" Roxanne said, the sound of her voice steadily rising with a hint of panic. "I'm sure he would love nothing more than to spend time with you and get back to creating whatever crazy invention is being bounced around inside his head. I think he's just trying sooo hard to prove that he has changed." Roxanne sighed. "I just…wish I knew what was wrong with him…but I don't." Roxanne said turning away from Minion her gaze turned down toward the floor. "I imagine the whirlwind of press and public exposure hasn't helped, but I can't help thinking there is something more going on." Regaining her confidence Roxanne looked up at Minion again. "He needs to know that no matter what we're there for him." For the first time today Roxanne could see some emotion in Minion's face: guilt and sadness. His eyes cast downward, his fins usually gently outstretched, moving with the shifting water inside his bowl were limp.

"You're right….I'll try. We just used to be two of a kind and always had each other's back. Now our lives are separate. He has a life and I don't."

"Give yourself some time. Give Megamind some time. Things will work themselves out and things will start to feel normal again." Minion smiled. For the first time in a while he actually looked happy.

Just when they had made a connection Roxanne's cell phone rang. Roxanne cautiously reached for her cell phone, looked at the number and accepted the call. "Hel-lo…hi, Dan."

"Sorry to bother you, but we need you to come in on the double."

"Uh-huh, this REALLY isn't a good time."

"You know we normally try to have someone cover for you, but Melissa called in sick."

"Uh-huh." Roxanne said, nervously winding a finger around a lock of hair. "I just dropped by the news station a little while ago to return a news van and asked if they expected anything had come up today."

"Melissa is actually more than a little bit sick—she collapsed and is in the hospital." "Oh…alright I'll be ready when the van comes to pick me up thanks, bye." Roxanne clicked the cell phone off before completely sinking back into her seat. "That was the news station apparently there is some type of medical emergency so they need me to come in and cover for Melissa so I'm going to need to leave in a little while." Roxanne straightened her back and turned to Minion. "Just…take care of him while I'm gone."

"Of course, he is my friend after all." Minion said, nodding his fish head.

/

It wasn't long before the news van showed up to pick up Roxanne. To pass the time Minion busied himself with some light housekeeping and cooking. Beyond being something that was necessary for day to day living it was somewhat of a hobby for him. Mostly to dull the silence Minion also had the TV turned to a movie on one of the cable channels to provide some background noise. *A cooked meal usually seems to help Megamind unwind. If nothing else it is something to do.* Tuckered out by the door to the bedroom was the brain bot, waiting for its master to awaken from his slumber.

It was mid-afternoon when Minion looked up from his bubbling pot of ingredients to hear the door to the bedroom begin to creak open and a rested Megamind emerged. The red optical eye of the brain bot brightened its motors coming online. Rather than be squished into the wall it skittered from its post at the door to the coffee table by the couch.

"Good morning…sleeping beauty." Minion teased. Megamind chuckled looking in Minion's direction who was wearing a ridiculous looking apron and a cooking mitten in one hand. Megamind took a moment to stretch raising his heels off the ground and his hands toward the top of his head a protracted yawn escaping his lips.

"What is that wonderful smell…?" Megamind asked aloud tipping his nose into the air. Megamind stalked over toward the kitchen on the other side of the apartment in a mock ninja tip-toeing fashion. Taking in the smell of the simmering broth Megamind could hardly resist grabbing an unattended metal spoon and dunking it straight into the pot.

"Oh, no you don't! It's not finished you're going to have to wait." Minion said slapping Megamind's hand away with a large wooden spoon before he could dunk it in.

"Wait! Wait! The great Megamind doesn't wait." Megamind said putting his hands on his hips. "Megamind conquers." Minion chuckled putting a robotic hand over his fish mouth.

"I'll be sure to let you know when we need help conquering the leftovers in the fridge and freezer."

"But smelling this food…uh, I haven't eaten a thing since laasstt nniigghhtt. I'm…STARVING." Megamind said laying a hand on his stomach as if he had a stomach ache. "This is cruel and unusual…pun-ish-ment." Megamind said throwing a hand up in the air to his forehead and in a dramatic fashion acting like he was going to faint. *Drama queen.* Minion shrugged off the dramatic acting and grabbed a bag of rice cakes, a protein bar from a cabinet and a container of pre-cut vegetables from the fridge with some hummus dip.

"You can snack on this." Minion said dropping the food stuffs into Megamind's hands. Megamind looked down toward his hands, took one look and was unimpressed. Megamind had a forearm and index finger raised his mouth already open, the words on the tip of his tongue, ready to protest when Minion gave him a dirty look.

"Don't even start. I don't have to let you have so much as a spoon of my soup." Megamind folded his confidence and face equally deflated, his raised forearm falling limp. He graciously took his food stuffs to the dining table and started to eat. *He _seems _ok. Hopefully whatever was on his mind he has out of his system.* Minion thought pausing from his soup stirring to steal a glance over at Megamind who was looking at the vegetables in a bored lackadaisical manner holding a slice of cucumber between thumb and index finger up to his face reluctantly opening his mouth, chewing and swallowing in an exaggerated slow-motion fashion. *I would think if something serious did happen he would have contacted us. From the looks of things seems he was just wiped out from his late night activities—whatever he was up to.*

When Megamind had his fill he trashed the wrapper to the protein bar, put the vegetables and dip away while leaving the rice cakes to sit on the dining table. Megamind then wandered over toward the couch adjusting his body so his feet were at one end and his head at the other. He took one look at the program on the TV and was displeased. "How much longer are you going to cook that soup?" Megamind whined.

"Just a little bit longer, sir."

"Uuuggghhh…" Megamind groaned, letting an arm fall toward the floor. The brain bot sitting under the table perked up investigating the blue hand gently pinching a finger between its metal teeth. Megamind looked down and motioned for the brain bot to come up on his lap. The brain bot obeyed levitating itself over Megamind's chest. "Miss me—yes I miss me too sometimes." Megamind cooed stroking the brain bot like it were a cat and rubbing it around its metal jaw. "I know what you want." Megamind said disappearing into the bedroom, but quickly re-emerging with a plastic tube. He cracked it in his hands and it started to glow: bright neon yellow. "Let's take this to the balcony so we don't break anything. Come on, come on…come here. You want it? You want it? Come get it." Megamind said playfully, walking to the balcony while casually waving the glow stick around like a piece of live bait the brain bot following not far behind. The brain bot sat on the railing ever so slightly pouncing up trying to nip at the glow stick. "Settle…settle…SIT!" Megamind commanded. "Good brain bot, very good." Megamind said as he gave it a light pat on its metal head. "Now, remember there is: one rule and only one rule." Megamind said gesturing with a finger to indicate the number one. "I throw this and under no circumstances do you let this touch the ground." The brain bot screeched in acknowledgement. Megamind threw the glow stick and the brain bot took off after it with impressive speed returning the tube to its master's hand. "A little farther this time." Megamind once again threw the stick into the air with the brain bot dive bombing on the glow stick and pulling up at a near ninety degree angle returning it once again. "How about down low?" Megamind said letting the stick free fall without being throw a substantial distance. This time the brain bot plummeted toward the ground, managing to get under the glow stick, grab it with its thin legs and pull up. This game of fetch went on until the brain bot came within mere inches of chomping down on the scalp of a passing pedestrian down below. "I think that's enough for now that was too close. Think I need to amend that rule…" Megamind said his face contorted into a cringe, tossing the glow stick to the apartment floor. The brain bot parted from Megamind's shoulder to the floor in pursuit of its coveted toy.

"Is the soup…soup…yet?" Megamind asked turning to Minion still maintaining a vigilant watch over his soup.

"It could go a few minutes longer, but yes." Minion replied.

Megamind clapped his hands together his face lit up with enthusiasm, "Excellent," he darted to the kitchen to get out the proper dinnerware. Minion ladled some of the content of the pot into a bowl and turned the stove off leaving the pot on the burner. Megamind made his way to the table and Minion followed taking a seat across from Megamind. "I'm so fanished!" Megamind said wasting no time digging in, only stopping briefly to complement the chef, "Once again you've out done yourself, Minion."

"Thank you, sir." Minion said, allowing a smile to come to his face. *How do I bring this up? Do I go subtle or just put it all on the line? I could go back and forth on this all night and never get a word out—I'll just say it.* Minion thought, his facial expression becoming more tense and serious. "What happened last night?" Minion asked. Megamind froze, with the spoon halfway to his mouth. He lowered his spoon and put a balled up hand to one side of his chin, supporting his head trying to think of an adequate response.

"I went out…" Megamind said cocking his head to one side evading Minion's face, absently shrugging his shoulders.

"We all know that, but toooo…wwhheerree?" Minion said in a drawn out exaggerated manner lightly fluttering his fins. Megamind made a face, he may as well just say it and spare himself a drawn out interrogation session.

"The warden…I stopped by the warden's house to have a conversation about some unfinished business." Megamind replied, rolling his eyes like it was no big deal.

"You what!"

"I drove to the warden's house to ask him some questions."

"You what!"

"You already asked that! Dah, this is why I should have gotten home before…questions, questions and more questions!" Megamind said, his head cast downward looking at the table a hand to his forehead, elbow on the table.

"WELL, pardon us for caring." Minion said crossing his arms and turning in his seat away from Megamind.

"Minion you know my life story as much or less than I do." Megamind said straightening his neck gesturing an extended hand palm up in Minion's direction almost as if he were reaching for one of Minion's hands. "I have been in prison for most of my life and until recently I have never questioned why. I have merely accepted it as destiny. I don't like question marks. I don't like big vacuums of unknown, unknowns. If I didn't do this the questions would never go away."

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Minion said, turning back toward Megamind, his expression softened somewhat. Megamind shook and lowered his head again this time clenching one hand into a loose fist the other cupped over and around the other his head resting on top of them.

"Yes…but I think maybe I could have lived without knowing. Driving home I pulled over thinking I would rest my eyes for a few minutes and I would still make it back in time, but I didn't." Megamind paused. "HOW is it you managed to find me?" Megamind said raising his head and an eyebrow slightly as he spoke.

"It was really all Roxanne—she's very resourceful."

"I see. That still doesn't answer the question."

"I'm not telling you in case you try to pull something like this again." Minion said with a slight smugness to his voice. Megamind pouted, his eyebrows pressed downward. "Why did you take the brain bot?" Minion said slightly nudging his head in the brain bots direction, currently preoccupied with batting around the glow stick with its thin spider like legs.

"Thought it would come in handy if he said anything incriminating, for my own personal reference and protection if this should come back on me."

"You didn't do anything to him…did you?"

"I like to think I merely finished what he started." Minion made a face, but thought better than to ask anything further and changed the subject.

"What's your schedule going to be like for the next week…?"

"Busy…"

"Oh…"

"But I'm thinking I can start cutting back."

"Really?" Megamind nodded, a slight smile coming to his face.

"The police seem to have things under control so unless and until they ask for my help or a true super villain emerges—I'm going to focus my attention elsewhere." Minion smiled.

"Getting back to basics mad scientist style."

"Something, like…that…is there anything good on the TV at this hour?"

"I should know, but I don't. Well in any case sounds like now would be a good time for some channel surfing." Megamind seemed content enough to sit at the dining room table and eat his meal, but Minion egged him on, "Come on it will be fun, it'll be fun, it'll be fun." Megamind continued to sit.

"Minion…where is Roxanne?" Megamind asked from the table.

"Oh, uh she got called in to work today. Seems like she has been gone for a while, but she ought to be back soon."

"Oh." Megamind said looking down at his bowl of soup twirling his spoon in the thick broth, a glum, sunken expression on his face. Minion picked up the remote and started to channel surf while Megamind picked up his prized meal and joined Minion on the couch.

"Golf—no, football—no."

"Turn it to the TV schedule channel." Megamind said an outstretched arm gesturing toward the TV.

"Yeah we could do that, but it wouldn't be as much fun." Minion continued to flip through the channels with each passing channel Megamind was steadily losing interest slouching deeper into the couch, drinking his soup straight from the bowl, stacking one foot on top of the other on the coffee table, his fingers laced behind his head. Minion went through every available channel, once, twice, three times without settling on a program to watch. "I guess we could just pick something at random." Minion suggested. Megamind was indifferent barely glancing at Minion before settling on staring up at the ceiling as if to ask for relief from the boredom. Between a number of equally marginal and unappealing options Minion contented himself by watching the TV schedule channel watching the revolving scroll of the listings and the various entertainment stories advertising TV programs.

On the verge of passing out from boredom the home phone rang rousing Minion's curiosity and bringing Megamind to attention, sitting up right. Both Minion and Megamind sauntered over to check the caller ID on the phone near the kitchen.

"It's Roxanne." Both reached for the phone, but Minion grabbed it first.

"Hello…"

"Minion?"

"Hi, Roxanne."

"It looks like I am going to be getting home late tonight."

"Uh-huh."

"Give me…the phone." Megamind said in a muffled tone of voice while reaching for the phone Minion using his free arm to keep Megamind at bay.

"How is Bernard, is he ok?"

"Yeah he's fine. Hold on would you like to talk to him?"

"Yes, please do." Minion handed off the phone to Megamind, but he hadn't quite grasped it when Minion let go. He fumbled with it in mid-air, but was able to grab it without it hitting the floor.

"Roxanne."

"Bernard? How are you feeling?"

"Good, uh, very…good." Megamind said while pacing nervously while Minion looked on curiously.

"Great, look I'm going to be getting home late tonight-"

"Oh, um...in that case…I was thinking…I could…pick you up…and you and I could eat…while we…talk—at the same time."

"Uh, sure I would like that…we should be wrapping up soon. I'll meet you down by Water Front Park. See you soon."

"Sooner than later."

"Bye."

"Bye," Megamind said clicking the phone off. "Uhhhhh…"

"That sounded a bit awkward."

"Tell me about it," Megamind said turning to Minion. "How did you hear all that?"

"Think you turned the speaker phone on…which means the phone is still on." Minion said gesturing to a button labeled "SP" with a small green light on. Megamind looked down at the glowing light in horror and pressed the "SP" button more than ten times in rapid succession.

"Sir, I think the call should be disconnected." After hitting the "SP" button five more times for good measure Megamind finally stopped. For a moment Megamind just blankly stared at the phone before abruptly regaining his composure.

"I had better get ready." Megamind said running straight to the bedroom to grab his usual attire. "Got the keys. I'm good. I'm good," Megamind said to himself puffing out his chest, shoulders back, sucking in his already flat stomach looking at himself in a mirror from head to toe. Megamind had just reached for the door to be on his way when his train of movement was interrupted.

"Sir," Minion called causing Megamind to turn around. "Break a leg," Minion said with a wink. Megamind just stared back in confusion. "It's an expression that is suppose to wish someone good luck." *You're going to need it.*

"I knew that." Megamind said opening the door, his cape getting caught in the door hastily re-opening the door, yanking on his cape and slamming the door shut.

"I did leave the watch in the glove box!" Megamind said aloud slamming the glove compartment shut and putting the watch on his left wrist. For a moment Megamind stopped and stared at the watch his mind returning to the events of last night. "This…isn't helping…" Megamind said clapping a hand over his forehead, closing his eyes, slumping over the steering wheel wishing the flood of emotion would go away.

Author's note: finally ironed things out enough to get this chapter the way I like it without pounding myself into the ground over the smallest of details or not providing enough descriptive detail. Sorry for the mass confusion and comments being deleted because of finally figuring out how to properly consolidate the chapters into a single story as intended. Anyway the next chapter is on its way.


	5. The Long Talk

"I can do this." Megamind said nervously wringing his hands against the steering wheel. "I can do this." Megamind took a deep breathe, grabbed the take out dinner from the passenger side seat he had picked up and set his watch to project a human image to hide his true identity from the rest of the world. Megamind was generally uncomfortable with his civilian identity being fused with that of Bernard the museum curator in name and appearance. If he could not find a suitable male name other than the name of Bernard given to him by Roxanne he would at least modify his default human appearance to something he deemed to his liking. For the most part Megamind still looked like himself: green eyes, bald, goatee with the same facial structure. His blue skin turned a tone consistent with White/Caucasians, a splash of pink around his cheeks and his head in appearance was reduced to a normal height and size. In place of his trade mark super villain outfit he appeared to be wearing: comfortable athletic shoes, blue jeans, a belt with a distinctive buckle bearing his iconic "M," a short sleeve black shirt with a blue flame type pattern and a black hoodie.

Metro City was located along the west coast and sat on a bay. However the geography of the area did not allow for large expanses of sandy beaches to walk on. Instead there were long concrete walkways dotted with trees and low level vegetation, benches and picnic tables. During the summer, holiday shopping season and the weekends people would set up little retail knick knack shops and makeshift restaurants along the paved paths.

It was a few blocks to get to Water Front Park and every step of the way Megamind was anxious with anticipation. His walking speed normally casual and unhurried was quick and agitated. Every step he took brining him closer to Roxanne and closer to a discussion and potential argument about his activities last night. Crossing at the pedestrian signal to go across the street to the park Megamind looked around with unease; the uncertainty of where exactly he was suppose to meet Roxanne adding to his insecurity. It was beginning to get cold and dark. It seemed like no one else was around, but on closer inspection he spotted Roxanne in the distance leaning against some railing with her back to him looking out over the water. Roxanne was wearing a matching skirt and blazer woven in a checkered Scottish pattern with a white background heavily overlaid with intersecting vertical and horizontal black lines with a few streaks of pink and yellow. *Here goes.* Megamind thought.

Megamind quietly crept up on Roxanne walking up to the railing a few feet to her left, gently setting the take out on the ground by his feet. Roxanne pretended not to notice stealing a quick look at the visitor, her eyes moving, but her head remaining stationary.

"Nice night out tonight. You…waiting for someone?" Megamind asked casually turning his head toward Roxanne. Roxanne turned in the direction of the voice.

"Why, yes as a matter of fact. You haven't seen a blue man walking around," Roxanne said in a straight forward manner. "…big head…clear skin…beautiful green eyes…tall…dark and very handsome." Roxanne continued. drawing out the words slowly, in a teasing, seductive tone with each word taking a small step toward Megamind until they touched.

"I can't say that I have." Megamind said his hands resting at Roxanne's elbows. "You sure such a man exists?" Megamind said raising an eyebrow and rolling his head a devilish grin on his face.

"I know so…because…I am…looking…at him." Roxanne said, as they both leaned in for a kiss on the lips.

"I missed you." Megamind said lightly interlocking his hands behind Roxanne's lower back while Roxanne brought her arms up letting them hang on Megamind's shoulders and chest.

"Missed you too. I think you can turn off the holowatch, there is no one else around." Megamind obliged revealing his true physical form. "We need to get you some normal clothes."

"Something wrong with how I look?" Megamind said softly and half seriously with a smirk on his face slightly leaning his head forward toward Roxanne. "Don't you earthlings have a saying if it's broken, fix it."

"If something's not broken don't fix it."

"Different words—same meaning."

"I must admit black does look good on you, but I'm thinking that all these decorative spikes make you look threatening and unapproachable." Roxanne said tracing a circle around one of the spikes on his shoulder padding with her finger then running a hand up the side of his neck.

"Oh, I didn't know they were _suppose_ _to_ _have that effect_ the way you can't seem to keep your hands off of me." Roxanne and Megamind snickered staring into each other's eyes with a look of contentment. "I brought…dinner. I hope you will approve of my choice."

"What did you get?"

"Thai food: two curries and two mango juice."

"You have my approval." Roxanne chuckled. The couple parted, but only briefly to allow Megamind to pick up the food in one hand, while he reached for Roxanne's hand with the other interlacing their fingers as they walked.

Up ahead in the distance there was a bench big enough to seat two people. Carefully Megamind seated himself being mindful of maintaining the balance of the two drinks sitting in a drink carton designed to hold up to four that sat positioned on top of the two dinners. Roxanne took the four drink carton from the top and set it on the ground and Megamind handed off a Styrofoam container to Roxanne and settled the other in his lap. *I know I ate not that long ago, but I still feel hungry.* Megamind almost literally dove face first into his dinner and started eating at a breakneck pace as if he had not had a scrap of food in a week. Roxanne on the other hand took her time, but could not help being distracted by Megamind's eating behavior.

"You might think about slowing down just a little these curries can be hot." Right on cue Megamind stopped, his eyes wider than normal, his mouth hanging open using a hand to try to fan away the burning sensation in his mouth and throat. "Here, drink this…eat slower," Roxanne said passing Megamind a mango juice. As instructed by Roxanne, Megamind paced himself stopping often to sip on his mango juice.

The conversation between them came to a standstill. A foreboding sense of dread hung over Megamind's head in anticipating the inevitable course of their conversation during their rendezvous at the park. He wanted to say something, but what? Try as hard as he might he could not relax, his chest felt constricted and heavy, his breathing shallow almost forced. *What do you say to your girlfriend when you scared her half to death?*

But his conversation with the warden had stirred something else inside Megamind. Something he had buried deep inside of himself.

Megamind busied himself with his food and drink while trying to think of something to say. His eyes avoiding Roxanne, his body stiff with tension, a frown on his face.

"Bernard," Roxanne began putting her food to her side and turning to Megamind, "you didn't just come out here so we could sit on a bench and eat some Thai food?" Roxanne asked, interlocking an arm around Megamind's.

"No…" Megamind said still looking away.

"How are you _really_ feeling?"

"I am…feeling…better…" Megamind said hesitantly turning toward Roxanne.

"You look ok. When I saw you in the car I was afraid…afraid to touch you because I thought you were hurt." Roxanne paused, her eyes filled with hurt and longing. "Sometimes I wish I could see what was going on inside that head of yours…what happened last night?" Megamind flicked his eyes down to his lap looking for a distraction his dinner was all but gone and he had already drank half of his juice. He followed suite as Roxanne had done by placing his food and drink aside to give his full attention.

"It was late…I had not gotten a wink of sleep all night. I was upset so I pulled over to the road thinking I would get a little sleep and then drive the rest of the way home—preferably before you or Minion would have noted my disappearance." Megamind said slowly and deliberately his voice void of any real emotion.

"Where did you go? Was it far?"

"I went to pay a visit to my old friend the warden. There have been things on my mind that have been…troubling me. Two weeks ago at an event. A person from the crowd stepped in front of me and put a pamphlet in my hands. When I showered and went through the pockets of my clothes I pulled out the pamphlet and looked at it closely. I think you were already in bed because of getting up early that morning to be at work. It made me ask questions about my time spent in prison I had never thought to ask before. I decided last night rather than put it off any longer I would ask the warden some questions and hopefully put my mind at ease. I got what I came for, but I'm not sure I am any more at ease knowing what I know now."

"You went to his house?"

"Yes…I did." Megamind paused. "From our conversation it couldn't be more clear to me now—I landed in that prison as an infant and was brought up within those walls. It was easy…it was convenient for them to lock me up. After getting kicked out of school the die was cast—they never would have let me be free."

"How is it no one thought to ask—I never thought to ask. But then no one at any of the news agencies has ever been granted access. They hand selected what documents they would release and who we could talk to." Megamind took in a deep breathe and continued.

"If what the warden said is true…there were several inquiries made to verify my existence and investigate the reasons and conditions of my imprisonment. Using his power and those of other prominent officials he was able to make them go away." Roxanne considered Megamind's words before speaking again.

"What do you plan to do?"

"I have every intention of releasing the video recording of our conversation if the warden doesn't come clean about the details of my imprisonment."

"That's why you had the brainbot with you isn't it?"

"Yes…" Megamind looked lost, uncertain of what to say next. "Is there a proper procedure for how someone handles these situations?" Roxanne took a minute to think before giving a response.

"For starters you should tell me everything that happened leading up to and during your conversation with the warden. Second we should draft a press release that tells your story. I can help you with this, but I can't do this for you." Megamind nodded. "We don't have to talk about all this right now, but we also shouldn't put it off..." Roxanne said her voice trailing off.

"Tomorrow then?" Roxanne turned to Megamind with a look of surprise. "It is time that people know my story from my point of view." Roxanne had a pensive look on her face. Sensing she had been given a green light she pressed a question to Megamind.

"You didn't hurt him did you?"

"Not deliberately. Aside from maybe walking funny for a few days he should be fine."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Roxanne asked sternly adjusting her posture so she sat up straighter.

"When he had me restrained I managed to re-take control by delivering a blow to his foot, stomach and head, but he still didn't let go so I kicked him in his crotch and he fell over. I don't know if it was the drink, but from what he said when he thought he had me it sounded like he either intended to make me his personal prisoner or do away with me...permanently." Roxanne paused again to absorb what Megamind told her. She found it hard to look at Megamind. It was not everyday these types of things came up and were talked about so casually.

"We tried reaching you by your watch communicator…is there a reason you didn't respond?"

"I was very tired…I needed some alone time…" *I was such a wreck.*

"You could have talked to me about this…you know." Roxanne said forcing herself to make eye contact with Megamind.

"Hhhhmmmmmm…only the warden could give me the answers to my questions. If I asked you the best you could do is give me an approximate, possible answer. I felt it was something I needed to attend to myself without getting anyone else involved. If I told you, you might have tried to stop me."

"You're not alone anymore…I want to understand…but I can't if you won't let me."

"For being a nosy reporter you have been un-nosy in asking me questions." Megamind countered.

"Well, I am asking now." Roxanne parried back defensively. Both went silent, both staring into the horizon. "Bernard…" Roxanne started turning to Megamind positioning her head on his shoulder her body leaning into his chest.

"Hmm…"

"Did anything happen to you when you were in prison?" Megamind turned to Roxanne and saw the look of concern on her face. He knew what she was getting at, she didn't have to explain. Megamind took a deep breathe put an arm around Roxanne and started to speak.

"Being in prison in some ways is like being in a dysfunctional…family. No one really likes each other. There is a pecking order and somehow you find ways of making the situation tolerable. There was a lot of taunting, a lot of threats...and a number of attempts made to try and reform me." Megamind stopped. Roxanne turned to him that same look of concern on her face. Megamind sighed. "I think I told you that the guards would refer to me by some informal or derogatory term until I started calling myself Megamind and developed a reputation to back it up."

"Yes, you did."

"That is only the tip of the iceberg of the things that went on. There were a number of times the guards made remarks suggesting my food was going to be poised. The warden would sound off from time to time that he was going to put me under constant sedation, but never did. Then there were other occasion he threatened to have a tracking device implanted under my skin, but never followed through. And there was a…" Megamind struggled to find the right words, "a…joke about how one of these days the guards were going to do to me what some of my "alien friends" had done to some of their people." A shiver ran through Roxanne's body and she pressed herself closer to Megamind.

"I'm sorry." Roxanne said slowly, her voice sullen.

"Don't be, they never touched me—not in _that _way at least." Megamind said rolling his eyes. "About the time I started wrecking havoc in Metrocity the warden had, had enough I think. Every time one of my schemes went wrong and I landed back in prison the guards made it a ritual to hit me with their knight sticks for each life sentence. There was one time things went too far. I don't think I was poisoned, but something was put in my food that made me feel…strange. I could see unusual colors, shapes, seemed like the room itself was alive and moving.

"Sounds like you were drugged."

"Hmmm…I guess they thought it would be funny to see how my body would react. Judging by the round the clock staff I'm sure that whatever they gave me almost killed me…" Megamind remembered it clearly like it was yesterday his mind taking him away from Roxanne.

To have easier access and better maneuverability he was moved out of his cell. The room was more white, bare and dull than his normal prison cell. A doctor and a guard kept watch at all times, his body hooked up to machines to monitor his vital signs. One of his hands was handcuffed to the bed. Megamind felt completely alone. He didn't even have his TV to provide the illusion of company. The doctor and guard were there only to attend to his physical health and make sure he did not use the opportunity to escape. When he came to and could muster enough energy and mental clarity to realize what had likely happened he bitterly jerked on his handcuffed hand. Then a thought occurred to him. Even though one of his hands was handcuffed he could still move the rest of his body. He pulled off the vital sign monitors sprung over the rail of his bed and maneuvered the bed around at high speed pinning the guard and the doctor to the opposite far wall. Outside his room Megamind could hear the sound of footsteps and voices. Two doctors and three guards came into the room the guards with tasers drawn and the doctors with a syringe at the ready. There was only a moment of hesitation before the guards pounced on Megamind. Try as he might he could not break free his very being rebelled against his confinement, loss of control and inability to keep the inevitable from happening. The doctors gave him an injection and he was rendered unconscious soon after. When he next awoke the restraints and staff had been redoubled he slowly lifted his head to take in his surroundings and let his head fall back with a heavy sigh. There was nothing to do, but to wait. Once he was better back to his cell he went. *I wanted to die.*

"Megamind…?" Roxanne said, trying to bring Megamind's attention back to the present.

"As much as the warden hated me not before or since did I see him as angry with the guards as he was when that happened." Megamind's voice trailed off before finding his rhythm again.

"After I was kicked out of school for setting off a chemical reaction turning the inside of the school house blue the warden tried a number of tactics to try to reform me. In retrospect…looking back…the warden realizing he was going to be stuck with me and I with him—some effort was made to make me pass as human so he could pass me off to be someone else's problem. That didn't work. When I got caught doing something bad to stir up trouble…the swivel chair in my room…they would tell me to sit it in and not move, but I didn't listen…"

"Wasn't very effective, was it?"

"No it was not. Then for a while it became mandatory that I should sit and watch some televised re-li-gi-ous service on Sundays. I didn't see what anything the man in the robes was talking about had anything to do with me. I didn't really get what he was talking about more than half the time anyway. The warden eventually gave that up. Then a little while after that they painted the mural around the wall. Happy thoughts, happy people."

"It's funny when my existence became public knowledge the prison started receiving letters and care packages addressed to me from female admirers." Megamind said, his tone of voice more jovial and animated. "I remember getting my hands on one in particular: 'you can kidnap me and tie me up anytime' and there was a picture enclosed." Megamind said with a grin while trying to suppress the urge to laugh.

"So even then you could have had any number of women audition for the role of damsel in distress, but each time you chose me…" At that remark Megamind blushed, his face warm to the touch.

"As strange as this may sound…" Megamind said awkwardly placing a hand behind his head while rolling his eyes, "I felt a connection with you..."

"And rumors swirling about Metro Man and I being an item had nothing to do with it?"

"Initially…no…I believe it was not until kidnapping you a few times that rumors started to swirl about you and Metro Man."

"Wait…you're right…you remembered that!" Megamind made a motion to clear his throat and change the subject.

"Of course it was rare for me to get my hands on any of them. The warden personally saw to that."

"He was probably jealous." Megamind shrugged.

"On occasion some of the guards would stand outside my cell and read them to me, but not allow me to see them and touch them for myself." Story over Megamind's demeanor became more tense and serious again. "The only real time the guards and the warden were ever able to wield any leverage was when they took Minion away from me." Once again Megamind found his consciousness being pulled away from the present.

*There were three of them. One stood by the closed door on the inside of my cell and two others. I knew something was different. I darted from the far wall to under the chair to the far wall and for good measure spun the chair to try to fend them off. I never had a chance. One held me against the wall while the other pried Minion from my hands. I shouted, "no!" I got up, tried to stop them, but couldn't…I collapsed against the door and couldn't stop crying. I moved to the chair facing away from the door my knees pulled up to my chest. The warden came to the door. I wiped away my tears and turned around in my chair. He gave him back to me, but he also threatened that if I misbehaved it would happen again. I promised then that I would not let it happen and that Minion and I would get out.*

"Megamind…?" Roxanne said trying to break through Megamind's vacant expression.

"Not that it changes anything, but things certainly could have been much worse. I was experimented on but it was kept to a minimally invasive level biological samples and tests: problem solving, memory word puzzles, personality assessments. During the early years I didn't know any better and went along with it being so young. Of course as I got older and I came to see things differently…they had to be more coercive. The only upside to this was in the process I got my health checked out on an annual basis." Megamind went silent. For a few minutes they sat in silence, Roxanne taking in everything that he had said and Megamind trying to remain unaffected then Roxanne turned to Megamind with another question that had been on her mind.

"How did it start?"

"How did what start?"

"Your career as a super villain."

"Now…that is a long story."

"I'm game if you are."

"In my mind I trace my super villain beginning to an escape from prison leading up to my first public battle with Metro Man."

"But there is much more to the story isn't there? To get to that point you needed practice, you needed to build up a means of operating once you got out of prison."

"All too true…with school being closed to me I was put to work. I was angry and unruly, but in time I realized my tantrums were pointless and became better behaved. On site the prison has a license plate factory and a call center. Surprisingly the inmates had minimal supervision at their work stations. At the factory whenever possible I stole time and metal parts to tinker and experiment. Working in the call center I eventually learned from the other inmates how to scam money from people. My very first escape was short lived. I was out of my cell. The guards turned their backs and I made a run for it and slipped out the front gate. Quickly realizing I was gone they started searching the area and I was picked up within an hour. This was before getting kicked out of school. I wanted to see the outside…it was years later before I tried again. I bided my time getting as much money as I could. I used an improvised chain saw to cut a hole through the stone wall pushed it out of place and nudged it back into place. I took up a post alongside the road in a trench and when a car came by I rushed in front and pulled out my gun."

"That first time was rough. I had nothing and no one to help me except for Minion. For a while we lived out of an abandoned, boarded up industrial building. It took a while before I was able to access the money I scammed, but in the meantime I salvaged metal parts, tools and equipment from construction sites and got to work actualizing some of the inventions I had stored inside my head. That robotic suite of Minion's…"

"What about it?"

"I salvaged it from a scrap yard, it was all in one piece as if it was waiting…for me. Of course I had to make significant modifications and do some repair..."

"How long were you out?"

"I don't remember exactly. The one thing living in prison taught me is if opportunity is not given it is taken and if necessary by force. To secure more funds and equipment I held people up threatening to de-hydrate them. I never in a million-billion years thought I would see _him _again, but there he was: Mr. goody-two-shoes and it was all over."

"Who?"

"The golden boy at school who could do no wrong and put me in my place. The boy who would become Metro Man.

"Wait…you and Metro Man went to the same school?"

"Yes—for the brief time I was in school. I wanted his parent's car. It was a nice car, the best with black tinted glass."

"How is it after all the times he has been interviewed he never mentioned this!" Megamind shrugged.

"Metro Man never has strug me as the thinking type."

"Struck." Roxanne corrected. Megamind stopped and did not immediately resume talking. "But you got out again?"

"Numerous, but the ending was the same I would run into _him_ nothing I tried had the slightest impact. Things could have easily fallen apart if I had not anticipated this possibility and prepared Minion to carry on without me leaving detailed escape plans, schematics and blue prints for unfinished inventions and money. The next escape I caught a lucky break. A guard brought their kid to work-Kyle. Rather than have Kyle sit somewhere by himself he was put in my cell to have someone to play with." Megamind's expression softened a smile on his face. "We played and played and played, but then I realized this could be it—a way out. Kyle wore a full body dinosaur costume he thought my uniform was a costume."

"He didn't wonder about why you were blue? About your head?"

"No—I felt bad knowing what I was going to do to him—I took it and I betrayed his trust in me. I convinced Kyle to switch with me and coaxed him to play a game. Who could be quiet the longest, but we had to have our eyes closed, hands over our ears and HE had to sit in the chair facing the wall. When the guard returned I acted the part, he believed I was his kid and he took me home. When I saw an opening I ran." Megamind stopped unannounced and Roxanne prodded.

"You blamed Metro Man as the reason for getting kicked out of school…and the reason for your imprisonment."

"Yes…I don't know how I remember this, but I distinctly remember his pod bumping into mine at several points and sending mine crashing into the prison yard." Satisfied Roxanne changed the subject.

"We need to get a bigger place. It's not fair that Minion should sleep on the couch and for all your brain bots to be penned up away from you."

"I know." Megamind looked down at the ground contemplating his words carefully. "Roxanne…" Megamind began, Roxanne perking back up to stare up into his eyes. "I have given this a lot of thought…it feels like the right decision to me but I want to know what you think." Roxanne gave Megamind a look indicating she was listening. "I'm thinking of leaving the crime fighting to the police unless asked or a real super villain emerges. I got lucky beating Titan. When the next crisis arises I want to be ready."

"Give yourself some credit, you did pull it off."

"Yes, but there were a few places I narrowly escaped with my life. If not for your help if not for Minion's I don't think I could have pulled it off. In an all out fight I would lose, it was through tricks and deception that I won."

"Sometimes even super heroes need help…you may be Megamind, but even you can't think of and do everything by yourself…brute force and athleticism isn't your strong side."

"I want to dedicate most of my time to honing my skills and developing technology for my own personal use and possibly some broader, civilian and commercial applications."

"It will probably be a public relations nightmare, but…I understand." Megamind breathed a sigh of relief and felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Yet there still remained an underlying tension that wrapped itself around his body like a python.

"I don't think Metro Man was involved with fighting crime to the extent you have been." Megamind smiled.

"The police seem to have things under control. I think my time could be better spent going after the big fish."

"There is just one thing I don't get. Your education was cut short early on…how is it you were so, so…inventive from such a young age?" The question struck Megamind like a bolt of lightning. Try as hard as he might there was no getting around the emptiness Megamind felt being denied an intimate knowledge of himself that could only come from his parents and being around his own kind. At his lowest moments he would contemplate how radically different his life could have been if his home world had not been so cruelly consumed by a blackhole.

"I don't…know…" Megamind had genuinely felt shame and remorse for his actions when he confessed to Minion disguised as the warden. Only recently did he consider what his parents would think of him. Minion had always tried to comfort Megamind with the idea that his parents were looking down on him from evil heaven in the moment he would play along with Minion, but in his mind he thought different.

"What would my parents think of me…? Of everything…I've done? De…sti...ny…what am I destined for? They saved me…me…this is what I have done with my life…I lied to myself telling myself I had no family—I was born and set adrift…alone…so…I COULDN'T DEFEND MYSELF!" Megamind shot up from the bench his head bowed, eyes closed his hands balled up into fists at his sides, his tone hysterical. "WHAT IF THIS DOESN'T WORK? WHAT IF I FAIL! WHAT DO I DO IF TOMORROW THEY DECIDE TO LOCK ME AWAY AS THEY'VE DONE MY ENTIRE LIFE!"

"THAT IS NOT going to happen." Roxanne said standing up from the bench.

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because…I WON'T LET IT HAPPEN!" At these words Megamind's eyes shot open, his face registering a look of utter shock as he looked down at his hand somehow Roxanne had managed to intertwine her fingers around his.

"You're trying to make things right. That is enough for me and should be enough for everyone else." Megamind was still in shock, but Roxanne's touch helped drain away the intensity of his emotional state.

"There is…just so much I don't understand about myself. I will wake up in the morning…have a hundred new ideas in my head, but not the slightest idea where they came from. I will see something…feel something and have an intuitive knowledge of its structure…what it needs…what it can be used for…how it can be shaped and manipulated. I still have to trouble shoot problems, experiment with different designs, but seems like I manage to avoid making a lot of mistakes…come to viable solutions much faster than it should take…I can conduct thought experiments in my head and when I replicate them physically the results match exactly or very close to what I envisioned. Sometimes I still see my parents faces…see what happened…"

"Megamind…" Roxanne began, Megamind turning his attention to Roxanne. "When I was a little girl…both my parents died and I grew up with an aunt and an uncle. I moved, went to a different school, life was moving on without me—I felt stuck. I miss my parents, yet I have the feeling they never left me. I don't understand it—maybe it is just…wishful thinking, but I like to think they're out there watching over me, protecting me."

"I don't know what to believe…" Megamind said. *If my parents have been looking out for me a lot of good it has done me…but they did save my life…*

"Then trust in your friends…and believe in yourself." Megamind just continued to blankly stare into the distance before he let out a resigned sigh his hands relaxing becoming unclenched. Roxanne came across his front and gently pressed his body into hers resting one hand halfway up his back the other at the back of his neck. At first Megamind did not hug back, but eventually he let go closing his eyes and wrapped his arms around Roxanne taking in her warmth and compassion. After a while they parted. It was late and Megamind's attention drifted toward the sky where only a few shining stars could be seen.

"I guess we should be heading back," Megamind said while Roxanne nodded as they turned facing the bright lights of the city.

"Yeah, come on I'll show you how to use the home phone when we get back." Megamind played it cool and casually ran a hand alongside an ear toward the back of his head.

"I was hoping you had forgotten about that." Megamind said nervously smiling.

"You're not the only one who has a keen memory. It's not that hard."

/

Sorry for the delay in getting this up. Anyway hope you enjoyed this latest installment. I hope the interaction between MM and RR doesn't come off as too forced. I am anticipating there will be only two more chapters. I have yet to start writing on the next so it may be a while before the next chapter is up.


	6. Communication

**Author's Note: in the 2****nd**** chapter I refer to the warden by name as Richard. After giving it some thought the name Gordon seems like a better fit. His physical appearance reminds me of commissioner Gordon from the 90's animated Batman series.**

**Last chapter probably not all that exciting, but it needed to be done. Really for the story to progress MM and RR need to start talking to each other.**

Sunday morning came much sooner than Roxanne expected. It felt so surreal—did her conversation with Megamind really happen? Roxanne let out a groan and forced her eyes open. *May as well get an early start on the day in case I have to come in for work today.* Roxanne should have noticed it immediately as soon as she opened her eyes. It took a minute for her to realize that once again the second half of the bed was unoccupied. The same sense of panic she felt yesterday bubbled to the surface.

Roxanne scanned the room: there was a nightstand by her side of the bed, then the sliding door closet against the wall. Directly in front of her there was a large dresser pushed up against the wall not far from the door. There was another wood dresser and then the black leather chair that Megamind was sleeping. Roxanne breathed a sigh of relief.

The back was slightly leaning backward and the foot rest was extended. Megamind had picked it out himself. The chair bore a strong resemblance to the high backed, black, leather chairs with wheels he favored for lounging around and making his dramatic introductions. Megamind was wearing his custom pajamas and slippers with a blanket draped over his body his arms sitting on top of the arm rests. *Hope he slept ok. I'll have to remember to ask.*

There relationship had been a whirlwind romance. She had fallen fast and hard. It was all so strangely exhilarating and felt so right the way they complemented each other. When one of them felt stuck the other would inspire them to try harder or think of an idea to try.

Roxanne knew Megamind was an alien, yet there was something very human about him. Megamind the incredibly handsome and former criminal genius and master of all villainy…could be hurt. How is it she never really fully realized this until recently? Well…Metro Man did take it easy on Megamind. Metro Man was never vindictive and aggressive beating Megamind to a pulp. The hardest part was getting through Megamind's technology and once that was neutralized it was easy enough to apprehend him. Then Megamind despite his record of zero success with only a handful of times coming close to beating Metro Man always bounced back unscathed from his past failures. Megamind was also the "bad guy" people were not supposed to cheer for the bad guy. Yet that is exactly what had happened with Metro Man hanging up his cape and Titan on the loose Megamind was Metro City's last hope. People came out and filled the streets when they saw the dark clouds billow around the skyscraper and thought they saw Metro Man chase Titan out of Metro City through sheer intimidation. The crowd was taken aback when it was revealed their savior was Megamind, but they did not boo or jeer. When Titan was drained of his power the crowd rushed Megamind and Roxanne cheering for their new hero.

It felt strange coming home to an empty apartment. Roxanne had always been fairly content with being single. Her life was hectic and her attempts at dating only rarely went beyond a third date. She supposed a lot of this had to do with everyone thinking she and Metro Man were a couple, the frequent kidnappings, but Roxanne had always been her own person: strong, independent and according to a number of suitors "too demanding." Which Roxanne interpreted to mean she was not "easy," she wanted something more than just a physical relationship.

Roxanne would make up an excuse to visit Megamind or Megamind feeling the same way would come by her apartment. After six weeks of this it made sense for them to consolidate their living arrangement.

Megamind had come to visit Roxanne at her apartment. It was getting late and Megamind suggested that he should leave to let her rest, but his expression and movement seemed to say quite the opposite. Roxanne was taken aback and offered to let him stay the night. When Roxanne led him into her bedroom his eyes immediately fixated on her bed as though someone had placed a compact particle accelerator—just what he always wanted, on an alter, but there was a distinctive sign with bold red letters right above it vowing death to anyone that touched it. Roxanne succeeded in getting Megamind to come to bed, but sometime during the night he decided to move to the couch out in the living room.

Roxanne did not want to read too much into Megamind's sleeping habits. After all didn't she get the chair for Megamind's comfort? Wasn't that what was important? She did not expect Megamind to fully adjust to sleeping in a bed overnight based on what Minion had told her but she had hoped by now he would have made the adjustment. Still it was beginning to get on her nerves. Although Roxanne did not let on that she knew. She knew for a fact there were nights Megamind would sneak back into bed before Roxanne's clock alarm would go off.

Roxanne was pulled out of her speculation by remembering something that had been said yesterday. Sometime today she needed to informally interview Megamind about his exchange with the warden and draft a press release telling his life story. Hopefully the fact that he had volunteered Sunday as a good day and was responsive to her questions yesterday was a good sign. However if she learned anything about Megamind from the repeated kidnappings he was very tight lipped about revealing sensitive information. Minion could usually be counted on to let some details slip, but she needed to get this from Megamind himself. Megamind was at his most talkative during his grandstanding or enthusiastic about a new idea—in both cases he held the upper hand and controlled the direction of the conversation.

From her training and experience as a reporter and journalist it was important right off the back to establish a connection with the person being interviewed. Prior to asking any actual questions with the cameras rolling it was not untypical a day or two prior to touch base with the interviewee and engage in a little small talk to ease them into the interview before the cameras started rolling.

She would have to play it by ear. Let him sleep, go about his morning routine, gauge his mood and go from there. For now her best course of action was to act like this Sunday was no different from any other Sunday as she got up to make breakfast.

/

Roxanne got a batch of coffee going and in the mean time poured a glass of orange juice. She would whip up some eggs, bacon and pancakes when Megamind came to. The lone brainbot occupying her apartment had its legs curled around its body on top of Minion's chest. *Would it be so bad if I took a look at the video feed on the brainbot?* Roxanne thought drumming her fingers on the dining room table in contemplation. She quickly gave up realizing she didn't know how to access the video footage. Even if she did know how to access the video without Megamind's express permission he could consider it an invasion of privacy.

The coffee machine went off and roused the attention of the brainbot and Minion. Roxanne shrugged. *Suppose there is no reason I can't at least start prepping the ingredients. The way sound carries in this apartment I imagine Megamind probably heard it too.* The brainbot scooted off of Minion and casually made it's way over to Roxanne's bedroom investigating the open door. "I'll take care of breakfast this morning Minion—just relax."

/

As Roxanne correctly anticipated it was not long before Megamind roused from his chair and by all appearances seemed to be in high spirits. There was a certain swagger to his movement and a cheerful smile on his face. "Morning Minion," Megamind beamed, briefly turning to Minion sitting on the couch with the TV turned to the morning news.

"Morning sir." Roxanne looked up from the pans she thought she could hear Megamind and Minion speaking in "code." Megamind made his way over toward Roxanne with a mischievous smile on his face.

"I know that expression." Roxanne said. Megamind's smile only grew as he worked his way behind Roxanne hugging her waist and looking over her shoulder at the contents of the pans. Roxanne had already cooked up some bacon and placed it on a plate and was working on the eggs and pancakes.

"We should be able to have breakfast in another few minutes," Roxanne said. Roxanne could feel and hear the sensation of chewing against her neck she turned around in place and sure enough Megamind was nibbling on one of the pieces of bacon. Megamind did his best I'm-innocent look, but it quickly changed to a proud I'm-evil-and-I-know-it his lips pulled to one side in a smirk with one eyebrow cocked slightly higher than the other. Roxanne gave him a disapproving look and grabbed at the small strip of bacon not already in his mouth and ate it in front of him making sure to milk the moment for all it was worth by letting out a number of contented moans.

"You're bad."

"So are you." Megamind got that absent dreamy look in his eyes and leaned in for a kiss the contents of the pans beginning to violently hiss and smoke.

"Shoot!" Roxanne said, gently pushing Megamind off of her and turning her attention back to finishing breakfast. "Here! Make yourself useful! Mind the eggs and I'll handle the pancakes." Roxanne managed to salvage the pancake from the pan, but in places it was charred black. *That one is going to be his.*

The eggs were a bit on the runny side and Megamind protested being given the burned pancake stating that she had as much or more fault than he did. To keep him in a good mood Roxanne conceded to cutting it in half and splitting it between them.

Roxanne finished the last bite of food on her plate and announced, "Come on we have work to do."

"We do?" Roxanne looked at Megamind with an eyebrow raised. "Oh, yes, we do." Megamind said drumming his fingertips together. Roxanne grabbed a lined yellow note pad, two pens and a digital voice recorder before heading toward the bedroom. She sat up on the end of the bed facing the black leather chair and scribbled down everything she remembered Megamind saying from yesterday and jotted down some questions to ask. Roxanne was so immersed in what she was doing she did not immediately take notice of a fully dressed Megamind staring down at her minus his spiked gloves and spiked shoulder padding with the frilly neck collar that bore some resemblance to two flower petals. Megamind agreed that the spikes and the collar had to go, but out of force of habit he still found himself wearing them from time to time, or when he felt the need to make himself appear more menacing. "Have a seat." Roxanne said motioning toward the leather chair.

"Oh, no—I have much grander plans in mind—we're going to do this with style."

"You mean your way."

"Naturally…my way also happens to be the right way and the best way." Megamind had something hanging over one of his forearms, but Roxanne could not make out exactly what except it was something silver. "I think this will do," Megamind said handing the item off to Roxanne. "It should fit."

*Is that what I think it is?* Roxanne thought holding the offending item a full arms length away from her body. It was a dress similar to the dark blue dress Roxanne wore to the opening of the Megamind museum. Though there were some distinct differences: the dress was longer, but looked like it was designed to be form fitting around the waist and torso and it was not cut as low in the front and had a slit cut on one side. *I guess I should be flattered…*

"If I put this on can we do our interview?"

"No—I have a…hidden, secret…secret location in mind."

"But, I will know because I'll see where you're driving." Megamind gave that response some thought turning away from Roxanne a hand stroking his goatee.

"Right, you'll have to be blindfolded." Megamind said playfully turning around and grabbing the blanket from the chair and twirling it over her eyes and head like a turban. *I suppose this is an improvement over being knocked out with chloroform.* Roxanne took the blanket off her head less than amused.

"Is this REALLY necessary? I got called in to work yesterday so the chances are pretty good I will be called in to work today. We need to get this done because tomorrow I go back to my hectic schedule." Roxanne said her voice betraying a hint of mounting frustration. At her words Megamind visibly winced. Roxanne gave Megamind's facial expression and posturing a once over. She recognized it so clearly from all the times his threatening contraptions did not garner the reaction from Roxanne that Megamind was going for. Silently Megamind was likely beginning to panic while trying to work out a clever comeback.

"Well…Miss Ritchi you cannot just interview someone as _distinguished…as myself under such ordinary circumstances_," Megamind said his speech slowed and sultry_._ "Sure…we COULD do the interview here, but this place does not scream epic interview of the decade." *Miss Ritchi—been a while since he has called me that. Wait…* Roxanne was all business, but by all appearances it seemed Megamind was not merely trying to turn this into a theatrical production, but he was actually trying to be…romantic. Roxanne mentally shrugged, *well I guess I got what I wished for.*

"I think you are under...exaggerating…this interview will be at least on par with the first interview of Metro Man. Thanks for the dress."

It was not until they reached the car Megamind insisted that Roxanne put on the blindfold. "I need to make a quick stop." True to his word Megamind made a quick stop somewhere. There was some muffled noise. Roxanne felt Megamind plop back into his seat and off they went again. When the car stopped Megamind came around to Roxanne's side and opened the door and he guided her toward their destination. They went up some sort of crude loft elevator and he led her over to a chair to sit in. "Can I take off the blindfold?"

"No, not yet." Megamind said taking a few hurried steps. "NOW you may take off the blindfold." Megamind said his voice lower and less clear than earlier before.

When Roxanne took the blind fold off she did not know where she was. Upon closer inspection it seemed as though she was in the fake observatory Megamind had built on top of his last evil lair. Yet the interior resembled nothing like it did the last time she had been an unwilling guest. All the machines with blinking lights and Tesla coils were gone. Really the interior bore a lot of resemblance to the interior of a movie theatre. Lining the circular wall of the dome was a series of violet curtains interspersed between sections of exposed support beams which had been painted black and the paneling behind them painted white. For the most part the room was sparsely lit by lights hung from the curtains. The lights were dimmed to create an ambient setting except for some direct overhead lighting. Off to one side there was a small circular wooden table with a pitcher of water and two glasses. Roxanne guessed Megamind stopped by the lair to pick up a few brainbots since there had not been any in the car and there were four of them positioned around the room.

Right in front of Roxanne there was a tall, black, leather chair with wheels. For what seemed to be the longest time all she could see was the back of the chair before it slowly turned.

"Miss Ritchi, we meet again." Roxanne could not help but smile.

/

The interview unfortunately was not without interruption from Roxanne's cell phone. Megamind handled the situation by grabbing the phone and informing the person at the other end of the line that: "Miss Ritchi is attending to pressing personal busy-ness and cannot be disturbed." Upon calling her boss later that day she was quickly forgiven when he learned she had been granted a private and personal interview with Megamind.

It was now late at night and Roxanne couldn't sleep. They had covered a lot of ground during their interview: Megamind's origin, childhood, briefly touched on some of the pivotal events leading toward Megamind's descent into villainy, the events leading up to him becoming the new hero of Metro City and his future plans. Megamind was calm and composed though were a few awkward silences where he took his time in forming a response. Roxanne had been caught off guard by Megamind's initiative in choosing the setting for the interview and they had been talking for so long she did not think to question him more thoroughly about what was said between him and the warden. She also found herself wondering about what Megamind meant when he said he felt a connection with her. It was a lot to take in—a lot to think about.

*I'm getting a glass of water.* Roxanne carefully crept out of the bedroom toward the kitchen. As far as she could tell Megamind was fast asleep in bed while the lone brainbot had settled itself on the leather chair.

Roxanne took her glass of water toward the dining room table and ruminated over what Megamind had said and what remained unanswered. She became distracted when the brainbot flew toward her and landed on top of the table. *Must want some attention and since I am the only one awake…* There was that temptation again—if she could access the video feed on the brainbot she would not have to remember to ask Megamind. She tried to resist the thought, but it was hard to ignore especially with the brainbot happily sitting in front of her. She started to run a hand over its smooth contours and marveled at the visible light show of pink streaks going on in its mid-section. As she traced her fingers over the surface she could feel an electrical pulse and as she moved her fingers so did the pulsing.

Her attention wandered toward examining the intricacy of the brainbots mechanical legs. This brainbot had eight long, thin, legs and something else Roxanne could not identify. *What's this?* Unless Roxanne was mistaken she thought she saw a cord dangling somewhere among its eight legs. Rather than reach for it Roxanne took her time coaxing it to relax by rubbing it around its metal jaw. The brainbot made a purring sound and levitated itself up from the table allowing Roxanne to identify a cord dangling down. She gently reached for it and turned the end over in between her fingers. It looked as though the end of the cord terminated in a USB jack. *No.* Roxanne recoiled her hand as though she had been shocked. Roxanne sighed in resignation. It was too hard to resist especially now that she had a way in. *Now how do I convince it to sit still while I watch the video feed.*

Carefully without much ado she fetched her laptop computer and booted it up. The brainbot seemed curious about her laptop computer and came around to one side to glance at the screen. When her computer was ready she used a hand to pet the brainbot while the other reached for the cord. Slowly she manipulated the cord and plugged it into a USB port at which point the brainbot went catatonic into some type of standby mode. The brainbot's red eye taking turns between flashing a brighter, more intense color of red, dimming and almost turning to blackness before brightening again. Roxanne did some clicking around to access the video entry and met with success. Roxanne then adjusted the volume so it was low, but high enough that if she concentrated she could still make out what was being said.

The video quality was not bad, but it was not good either. Roxanne recognized the warden from pictures she had seen of him on the news. He seemed disheveled and uneasy a shadow of his former self.

She remembered Megamind telling her about the warden using his power and those of other prominent officials to thwart at least one internal investigation, but it still took her breath away hearing it from the warden's lips.

She watched the video feed with great interest unable to take her eyes off the screen. An atomic bomb could have gone off in the living room and she would not have noticed or cared. Roxanne did not know what to make of all this. She could not recall a time when Megamind acted the way he was now. He was angry, aggressive, self righteous and seemed to be successfully intimidating his prey.

Roxanne could only shake her head when the warden made the tasteless remark about Megamind meeting some of his relatives at Area 51.

As the video continued, Roxanne felt herself being dragged back toward sleep. Roxanne's back slouching forward her head resting less than inch from the table on her folded forearms. When it came time for the warden to respond to Megamind's interrogation Roxanne perked up. Though she mentally found herself disagreeing with much of what the warden said. *Purely based on the outcome they could have, should have done things different.*

When the interview was over and Megamind made his move to leave Roxanne could not help feeling disappointed. Between her conversation with Megamind the night before and their interview this morning she had not learned much from the video itself. Just as quickly as she was lulled into a sense of complacency her eyes widened in shock and alarm as the warden rushed Megamind from behind lifted his feet off the ground an arm twisted behind his back and another arm around his neck. Roxanne made a muffled sound as though it was her in the video instead of Megamind. Roxanne made another muffled sound as it became clear she was not alone. Long thin fingers gripped the top of the laptop she could make out the shape of a thin figure shrouded in shadow with probing eyes. The hand manipulated the laptop around casting more light in his direction. The video kept going the warden was taunting Megamind.

"Ha-huh. So pathetic…I don't care that you are the new HE-RO of Metro City—I'm sending your E.T. ass some place where no one will ever find you. I guess I'm what you call an old school boy: do the crime, do the time. Your get out of jail free card has just been revoked. Do not pass go do not collect $200."

The video stopped. Roxanne gathered enough courage to sit up straight and gaze back at Megamind. Even in his pajamas patterned with nuclear, biological and chemical warning symbols Megamind projected an intimidating aura. His gaze was fixated on the screen. He was silent. Megamind's expression could best be described as intensely contemplative, neither tense nor relaxed. Roxanne held her breathe as if waiting to be knocked backward by an oncoming gust of wind.

"How much did you see?" Megamind said flicking his attention toward Roxanne.

"All…of it." Roxanne said hesitantly. Megamind unplugged the brainbot from the computer, turned on his heel and made a move toward the bedroom. Roxanne stood up and walked toward Megamind as she talked, desperately trying to get his attention. "Wait…I'm sorry. I was going to ask you to see the tape, but I forgot." Megamind stopped in his tracks. "Are you mad at me?" Megamind turned around his brow was furrowed his body radiating tension.

"A little...why don't we call it even?" Megamind said his facial expression softening slightly.

"YOU ARE mad at me."

"And you're not mad at me? Megamind said, slightly raising an eyebrow.

"A little…but…I am also a little mad at myself." Megamind nodded as if to indicate he felt the same way.

"I went behind your back and you went behind my back—I don't want to fight about this." Megamind said heading toward the bedroom with Roxanne following behind him at a distance her head bowed in shame.

/

As much as Megamind was inclined to toss and turn to try and sleep he could not. He was determined to sleep as he was with his body turned away from Roxanne on his side of the bed. He was peeved. Then again Megamind had to admit his actions as of late were less than commendable: understandable, yes—excusable, justifiable—questionable. *I did not lie to her…not directly…amition—omission?* Then Megamind tried to comfort himself with the thought that however delayed he had finally come clean about his insecurities about defeating Titan and his future ability to protect Metro City. He had confessed his desire to take a less active role overall and she did not openly admit to thinking less of him. He had even talked about his parents a subject he never openly discussed with Minion. In talking with Roxanne earlier that morning she now had an outline of his life story. *So why don't I feel better?* Megamind thought so desperately wanting sleep to claim him and whisk him away so he would not have to think or feel.

*All my plans, inventions—all bad just plain bad. Sooo much wasted time…* Megamind grimaced. *No matter what I do…to some I will always be the bad guy…nothing…no amount of good I do will change that…*

"Are you asleep?" Roxanne said turning toward Megamind.

"No." Megamind said his voice barely audible.

"Can I ask you something?" Megamind gave a noncommittal shrug. "What did you mean when you said you felt a connection with me?" Roxanne said pressing herself closer to Megamind. Megamind turned over on his back, staring up at the ceiling. Roxanne scooted closer slightly leaning over him staring down into his green eyes.

"I should have said something when you mentioned your parents…"

"It's ok…YOU were kind of out of it." Roxanne said running a hand across Megamind's forehead.

"No, that's not it," Megamind said bringing himself up to a sitting position and Roxanne following suite, "I already knew you lost both your parents."

"You knew…"

"When I was in prison you were always there. I could turn on the news and you would be there. When I was doing some research to learn more about you I came across the record of your parents…departure. It just strengthened the connection I already felt."

In Megamnd's opinion by comparison to all the other TV personalities Roxanne seemed like the complete package of strong character, good looks and above average intelligence. In retrospect if he wanted a more compliant captive who would fold to his intimidation tactics and give him the satisfaction of screaming in terror Roxanne was a poor choice. But her status as a public figure and an alleged connection to Metro Man more than made up for that.

Megamind could sense that something he said had bothered Roxanne, but he could not understand why. Roxanne had a blank expression on her face, her mouth slightly hanging open.

"How long were you planning…THIS…interview?" Megamind hedged.

"A little while," Megamind did not like the way Roxanne was staring at him, she wanted an exact answer. "Uhhh…two months…"

"Why, now?" For the first time in a long while Megamind felt fearful of the direction the conversation was going.

"Timing needed to be right…I was tired…I wanted things to be perfect…you…were… tired." With each explanation Roxanne's gaze only seemed to intensify while Megamind's voice became shakier and more hesitant. The conversation cut out and both went silent. "I'm moving to the chair." Megamind said abruptly pushing back the sheets and making a move for his chair.

"Why do you do that! What is this with you?"

"WHY are you going off like this? We talked at the park last night and this morning we talked for several hours. I'm not even that mad about you watching the video feed-"

"BECAUSE I want to know." Roxanne said harshly, but judging by the expression on her face even she seemed surprised by the venom in her voice. "I want to know…" Roxanne said softer, but insistently.

"I sleep better…it's what I'm used to." Megamind said hesitantly.

"Is that all it is?" Roxanne let out a deep sigh and pulled her knees halfway up toward her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "We have been together for three months…we have been holding back. I was afraid to ask, afraid to push. The past two days seems like it is the first time we have been honest with each other since we first started dating. If we can't be honest with each other…then…what do we have…?"

Initially Roxanne was not looking at Megamind, but ended with turning her gaze straight at him.

There was a long pause…a very long pause. Megamind pressed a hand to his chest he swore that as Roxanne spoke he felt a phantom slash across his chest. For the briefest of moments it took his breathe away and not in a good way. He was stiff as though his body had been entombed in ice all Roxanne had to do was deliver a few blows with a chisel and a hammer and he would shatter into a thousand pieces. His heart ached on the verge of breaking. Megamind found himself taking half a step back and ever so slightly shaking his head. Roxanne stood up and took a step toward Megamind.

"Don't leave…" Megamind whispered.

"I'm not leaving…we just…need to communicate. Are you afraid of being intimate with me?" Roxanne asked there was no judgment in her voice. Megamind went pale his eyes said it all. Megamind tried to bring himself to form words with his mouth, but he could not speak. His throat was constricted he felt like he could barely breathe. "Do you want this?" Roxanne said whispering into Megamind's ear suggestively pressing her body against his.

"Yes…I—I want you." Slowly and with much care Megamind let his fingers caressing the curves of Roxanne's body each hand at Roxanne's side starting at the shoulder working down around and alongside her breasts and then the curve of her hips. His hands continued to wander exploring the curvature of her well formed buttocks and tracing along her waist before moving up her spinal column the motions of his hands eliciting a jerky shiver and goose bumps from Roxanne. He let his hands come under her night shirt and begin to lift it over her head. Roxanne reciprocated the gesture by reaching behind Megamind's back to peel him out of his full body pajamas and then ran a hand over his chest and abdomen, planting a kiss in the middle of his chest. Megamind stepped out of his pajamas standing only in a pair of boxers with the same pattern as his pajamas. Megamind gently let Roxanne's night shirt fall to the floor and let his hands slide under her shorts and pull them down. Roxanne took a small step to the side and used one foot to push them aside.

Simultaneously they reached for each other pulling the other closer to them. All care, all worry, everything fading into nothingness except for…this…moment: the sensation of their bodies pressed against each other, their hearts racing, their lips locked kissing again and again their breathes hot and heavy, bodies pleasantly tingling unable to contain their feelings.

They kissed rhythmically and slowly at first, each kiss became a little bit faster, a little more aggressive lasting a little longer than the one before.

"Huh-huh-huh-huh…" Roxanne panted letting her head fall back her back arched in ecstasy. Megamind moved from kissing her lips to kissing the side of her neck and chest. "Stop…" Roxanne whispered gently pushing Megamind back. Megamind looked at Roxanne curiously. Roxanne cocked her head toward the bed. She lightly placed her hands on Megamind's shoulders guiding him to follow. Roxanne took a few steps back and lowered herself onto the bed with one knee bent on top of the sheets. Megamind again looked for a cue to give some suggestion as to whether to continue or not. Roxanne answered by suggestively curling a finger and pulling him in for a kiss. Bending over at the waist Megamind quickly lost his balance flopping down on his side next to Roxanne rolling onto his back trying to catch his breathe—a smile on his face. Megamind was blissfully oblivious he did not have a worry or a care in the world.

He came out of his stupor when he felt something press on top of his hips and saw a familiar face. Roxanne was sitting on top of him her hips straddling his, an uncharacteristically naughty expression etched on her face. She lowered herself on top of him pressing her weight into his elbows pinning him and kissing him. Roxanne only let up briefly to take her panties off and motion for Megamind to do the same…

…..

Megamind let out a contented sigh. He could not have been any happier. Lying in bed with Roxanne hovering somewhere between consciousness and unconsciousness. His head sitting on top of Roxanne's lap with Roxanne massaging and stroking his scalp and forehead. Megamind found it oddly sensual, but was too dazed to give it any further thought.

/

_Monday…_

:: drum roll ::

Ken Masters: "Breaking News: this is a breaking news report. Hi I'm Ken Masters."

Anne Kerry: "And I'm Anne Kerry. We have been following this story since it broke at 10 'o' clock this morning when the warden of Metro City Prison, Gordon Smith called a press conference on the steps of Metro City Town Hall."

Ken Masters: "We would now like to show some of the footage from that press conference earlier today."

Warden Gordon Smith: "Good morning…as some of you have been informed the purpose of this press conference is to announce the full public disclosure and release of city and prison documents pertaining to former Metro City Prison inmate Megamind. This decision was not taken lightly and was the subject of many hours of fruitful discussion and debate among myself and other civic leaders. We now believe that it is in the best interest of the city and our community to come forward and be transparent. Considering the circumstances we did the best we could with the resources made available to us and we did what we thought was right at the time. That is all."

Anne Kerry: "That was the warden of Metro City Prison speaking today at a press conference at 10:00 this morning. You could see the mayor, members of city council and state government standing by Gordon Smith in support. We would now like to turn to our field reporter Roxanne Ritchi who is on site where the press conference took place. Roxanne can you tell us about the reactions you have received from people on the street?"

Roxanne: "Good evening Anne, reaction has been mixed. I just spoke with a woman a few minutes ago who said that this confirms what many people have suspected—that prominent city officials knew much more than they were letting on and there is much more to Megamind's story than the "official" story from city and prison officials. A number of other people have said this is much ado about nothing—that we should be moving forward and not looking back. A handful of other people who I have talked with said this is completely relevant because of giving us more insight into Megamind's history, character and provide a basis for deciding whether he should be allowed to maintain his status as protector of Metro City. Though it should be noted that based on unscientific polling done by this news agency and several others the vast majority of citizens are supportive of Megamind. The people who would like to see him stripped of his status, imprisoned, or exiled are really only a vocal minority. Additionally this is not the first time documents have been released and people have been allowed to speak openly on the matter. However in the past the city and prison has dictated complete control over which documents can be released and who is allowed to speak. When this first happened a number of years ago there were rumors of people not only being threatened with being fired or demoted, but they would effectively be blacklisted making it impossible for them to be hired somewhere else even if they moved out of state."

Ken Masters: "Roxanne can you tell us anything about the content of the documents and what legal experts are saying about the possible implications of all this?"

Roxanne: "Ken and Anne right now it is a work in progress, we should have more details in the coming days and weeks. The one thing I can tell you is there has been some push back from the city and district not releasing certain documents deemed sensitive. We have also been told that the city is refusing to release internal communication documents within the city government, between the city and the prison and within Metro City Prison. Right now various citizens' groups are vowing to fight to put everything in the public domain. Legal experts are staying mostly quiet until the details emerge and they can put the pieces together. I was able to get a comment from one legal expert who watched the press conference. They indicated that even if there was any misconduct on the part of the prison and city officials it is unlikely we will see any mass resignations, firings or possible lawsuit on the basis that Megamind is not recognized as a U.S. citizen and his extraterrestrial origin made him a threat to national security. Back to you Ken and Anne."

Ken: "Thanks Roxanne, several hours after the press conference we received a statement from Megamind in response to the press conference called by Gordon Smith:

'It is a relief to know the veil of secrecy is being lifted allowing the truth to be known and the record set straight. I look forward to constructively working through any divisions that may arise from the disclosure of documents and continuing my work.'

Anne: We will continue to follow this story, but now onto our other top stories of the day…"

**/**

**Well this certainly was a long chapter…sorry for the delay. Don't know if the next chapter will be the last. Depending on how it shakes out I may write a short epilogue after the next chapter.**

**Also I know I first referred to the warden by name as Richard. After doing some thinking Gordon seems like a better fit. Eventually I am going to go back and fix that.**


End file.
